The Hardest Thing I Ever Did: Part 2
by Wings of Speed
Summary: Just an author's note
1. The Visitor

Disclaimer : I own nothing other than story plot and story idea

A/N : This is the second story in the 'The Hardest Thing I Ever Did' series…the first part kind of ended badly, but I'm grateful no one held that against me and all of your sympathy and kind reviews gave me the courage to continue this story in a second installment. I hope you like it and I think I will continue in the POV narrative. Thank you again for all of your understanding and I'm back now 100% ready to write and learning from the ordeal and figuring out how to draw on it and integrate it into the stories since they are all based on a car accident. Read and enjoy and as always REVIEW!!

A/N : Although I am going to continue this from the characters POV, the first chapter will be done as if you were looking down on the new couple…see if you can guess from who's POV it is, shouldn't be hard really. Thanks, R&R please! Enjoy!

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID 

PART 2

Chapter 1

Kimberly snuggled deeper into the dark-haired man's embrace, I really figured I should know him, there was just something so familiar about him…I just couldn't place from where I should have known him. He was apparently from Angel Grove…she probably knew him from when she lived here. She was saying something to him…I was just catching the tail-end of the conversation, I had arrived to late to catch the beginning.

"I remember one thing I have never told anyone else, not even Kristin…"

"What is that?" He asked.

She looked down at the bed sheets than glanced up to meet his gaze. "It was before the ambulance had gotten there…I was still conscious after the accident…I never told no one." She grabbed hold of him tighter, burying her face against his chest. "Vicky was still alive, or at least I believe she was…I was holding onto her…the blood was everywhere…" She paused, the pain in her eyes apparent. "I held her in my arms…she took three deep breaths, exhaled them…shuddered and I believe then was when she died…" She broke away from his grip and looked up into his face, the tears silently trekking down her face. "I held her when she died…I was the last thing she knew of before she passed on…"

He held her tighter, his chin resting gently in her hair. His hands gently massaged her back, stroking up and down her quivering frame. "Shh Kim," he said quietly against her hair. "It's going to be okay, you're alright." He said ever so quietly I had to lean closer to them just to hear it. "I wish though you would've told someone, any one of us what you were going through. We could've helped you."

She pushed away from him, "I couldn't Tommy," the tears had stopped flowing and she was quietly hiccupping. "You were just way to busy with Ranger business and school and I couldn't do something like that to you."

"That should have been my decision Kim, not yours." He admonished gently.

"Maybe," she said quietly. "But I didn't want to worry you…so much was going on at the time…Zedd, the machine empire…I didn't want to distract you. The team needed you more than I ever did."

"No Kim," he corrected. "You needed me. The team could've survived for a few days or even weeks without me…you needed me more than they did. You should've told me and left the decision up to me."

She looked away, toward me. "Maybe," she said softly. "Everything was just a complete blur at that time. I'm not really sure what I was doing or what was going on. I made a big mistake Tommy, I know that now…and I'm really sorry for it. I hope you can forgive me…I'm so sorry for making that kind of decision for you." The tears threatened once more.

"Why don't you explain everything to me?" he asked, "Then maybe I can decide on whether or not I can forgive you, okay?" There was a smile playing across his lips and he was trying his damnest not to show it, I'm not really sure whether or not Kim saw it…I think she may have since she grinned somewhat relieved like up at him.

"Alright," she took a deep breath and started to relate a story I knew like the back of my hand, a story I had lived through myself so to speak…only the ending of the story for me wasn't a happy ending.

__

I'll tell the story from my point of view, just so you'll get another opinion of what had happened, though my story is a lot more grisly than Kim's ever could be, I'm the one that didn't live through it after all, plus I remember everything that had happened, every little detail…unlike someone else.

The day started out like any other, the alarm went off at five in the morning, a-typical. I threw my pillow at it and Kristin, my roommate laughed. This was typical too, she always thought my morning antics were something funny. I still don't get it, oh well, it don't much matter now.

I took a quick shower then Kristin bolted into the bathroom, like she was afraid I was going to decide I wasn't done and go into the bathroom again. The girl was just plain weird, but then again most of my friends were, Kim included.

Anyway, after we'd got our showers, we'd met up with Renee, Kim and Annette then made our way down to the compound. We had to be there exactly at six in the morning or we would be in severe trouble. No one knew exactly what that trouble was since non of us had ever been late, but we didn't plan on finding out any time soon either!

Coach was already there…no one else was. 

We had till noon to do as we pleased, what ever we wanted. Coach was going to give us the morning off. Immediately Kim had wanted to call her boyfriend Tommy over in California. 'Hello Kim? Anyone home?' Kristin had asked.

Kim gave her one of those 'What's that for?' looks. 'Ok Kim, if it's six in the morning here, that would make it what-um, three in the morning there! Your boy toy is probably still in bed dreaming not so sweet dreams about you!' I had said to her, getting a dirty look and a playful punch in the arm. 

So we all decided to head out to the mall and see what the ordinary teenagers do on their free time. Kim drove, so did Annette and Kristin…why we all didn't just take one car is beyond me. We could've all fit in Kim's car…but then we'd all probably be dead then…so forget that idea.

We all went to the mall, like I just said, but nothing of any real interest was going on so we decided to head to the beach and catch a few rays…total boredom there too. Kim was constantly talking about Tommy, Annette and Kristin were watching these guys in barely nothing at all, who suspiciously kept walking right in front of our noses. Though they never stopped and said anything…I still wonder why.

Renee was relaxing, the only one of our group. She seemed to actually be enjoying herself, again, the only one of our group. After much debate, we all decided to head over to the local cinema-complex and see what was playing. Nothing at all! Which was unusual.

Then Annette brought up the idea of catching an early lunch. We all agreed. Jumping into the cars once more we all headed to an expensive restaurant in the middle of the city. Somehow Kim beat the other two there…so of course she got a really good parking spot. Kristin and Annette had to park quite a ways away from the restaurant, they weren't too happy about that…oh well.

We sat at the restaurant for the next hour or more, just talking. Kim couldn't shut up about Tommy, which made all of us jealous since we weren't able to hold steady relationships because of distance. Tommy sounded like a really nice guy…I wanted to smack her just to shut her up, but I enjoyed listening to her stories about this tall dark man!

It was almost noon, I don't remember actually who had said about leaving or if it was unanimous thing, but we all got up to leave. I decided to go with Kim, Renee was going to head off with Annette, they were going to stop at a store real quick. Something they needed to look at real quick, or something like that.

Kristin was going to head back to the compound too. She made it out of the parking lot before we did. Kim's car developed a flat tire and some guy, pretty cute too, stopped to help. Kristin must've gotten worried because she turned around and came back to find out what had happened to us. Flat tire, nothing more. 

So Kris left. That would be the last time she would ever see me alive.

The tire was changed so we got back into the car and started on our way…we'd never make it though. The light turned yellow and instead of Kim doing what she would usually do of speeding up to beat the light before it went red, she stopped. She'd never done that before, so what made her do it that time I'll never know.

She was in the middle of changing the station on the radio when the light went green. I told her so, but she looked up to make sure herself. She never looked to make sure that opposing traffic had stopped, if she had she might've seen the truck wasn't going to stop. 

She started through the intersection and then decided to look…all I heard was her scream. I looked out my side window and saw the large tractor-trailer barreling down on us and all I could do was scream too. She grabbed hold of my arm, as if to say she was sorry. I never looked at her, I couldn't take my eyes off of that truck. I could see the driver, he was just starting to reach for his horn. I heard the loud noise of that horn and turned what had to be stricken eyes toward Kim. She was to busy trying to stop the car or maybe get it going. I actually think it stalled and she was trying to get it started again. I don't know, I'm not the one who was driving…

Anyways, I heard the engine gun, she must've gotten it started…but it was to late. The truck struck my side first and sent her tiny car spinning out of control. I felt fire spread up my leg, then numbness. I think that my leg was pinned between the caved in door and the dashboard. I remember seeing what looked like a telephone pole, or it could've even been on the traffic light poles, I'm not sure, but her car was heading directly toward it.

She regained some semblance of control of her car and steered it away from the pole only to send it into another spin that crashed it into the rear wheels of the trailer. Her side was completely demolished, the front end wedged beneath the rear tires…the whole car was crinkled, I don't think there was anything left of it at all. How we both didn't die is beyond me.

As soon as the car slammed into the rig for the second time she slammed her head into the steering wheel, I remember seeing the blood streaming down her forehead. The force of the impact threw her against her seatbelt at a strange angle, I knew there was damage to her back, there just had to be.

She was still conscious though and she raised her head and looked over at me, my vision was just starting to dim and I couldn't see her very clearly. She was surrounded by a vivid pink halo…unlike anything I had ever seen before or since. She reached over for me and took me into her arms and pleaded with me not to die. I was dieing and we both knew that, it was something I couldn't fight, no matter how hard I tried. I could hear my heart beat echoing within my ears…slowing…slowing…slowing until it finally stopped.

I took three unsteady gulps of air, I wanted to tell her I didn't blame her for it. She needed to know that…I couldn't get the words formed past the lump in my throat. 'I'm sorry Vicky…' I heard her quiet voice, it sounded so far away.

'I know!' I tried to cry out to her. She couldn't hear me…would never hear me. 'I know Kim, it wasn't your fault! I don't blame you, don't blame yourself!' She wouldn't hear me but I had to try. If nothing else I had to try.

I've been trying ever since, almost nine years now…I've been trying to tell her it wasn't her fault. Everything was stacked against us that day, it was my time and there is no way she could've changed that. No way at all.

She has never heard me, but finally some one has managed to get through to her that it wasn't her fault. I'm so relieved that someone finally did, now I can finally rest. Finally I am free…

*******

There was a sudden bright flash of light within the room, both Tommy and I looked up trying to figure out where it had come from. My breath caught in my throat. It just couldn't be, not after all this time…or could it?

"Vicky?" her name was like a balm for my weary soul. "Vicky," the name came out slightly louder this time. "Is it really you?" Was it possible I was hallucinating?

The apparition nodded her dark golden head, gray eyes sparkled out at me and I felt a single tear work its way down my cheek. Her gaze wondered over to Tommy who still held me tightly. Shock registered across his face, unsure of what he was seeing I guess.

She raised her hand in a final farewell and slowly dissolved in a midst of shimmering sparkles, but her voice echoed within the room…_You have finally found your peace so there fore so can I…_

"Thank you Vicky," I said quietly and held onto Tommy even tighter. Never would I let him go again…next time I would talk with him about what was going on and allow for him to make his own decision. I wouldn't do it for him again.

He smiled down at me, "We still have a lot to discuss, you do know that?" He asked.

__

Oh yeah, I know that. We still have a lot to talk about before we can even think about being anywhere near to the relationship we had once before…and that won't happen over night. I still have so much to explain and so much to atone for.

Well? What do you think? Should I keep going or just end it here and quit? My goal for each chapter is to have at least 10 reviews, if I get that I'll get the next chapter out fairly quickly…if not, it'll be posted as soon as I feel like posting it…don't believe that, I love writing so it'll be done in a speedy manner but reviews will get it done quite quicker…Thanks and be sure to review if you want this continued…oh in case you haven't figured it out yet, Kim and Tommy aren't officially together yet! Soon, I promise, I just have one more obstacle to put them through before they can have peace.


	2. A Little Humor

Disclaimer : I own nothing other than the story plot and the idea…the rest belongs to someone else who is making a ton of money off of the whole idea…*sighs* and it's not me, dang it!

A/N : Nothing to say here…thank you for all 12 of the reviews. More than I wanted and I love it! Oh, something to say after all, I'm going to give Kim and Tommy a break for a bit and concentrate on the group sitting down in the living room. Figure from either Trini's POV or Aisha's, or maybe both! Ok, on with the story, enjoy and as always, R&R.

A/N : OK, so I lied, a lot to say here…but it came up after I started this chapter so…anyways, there may be some inconsistencies in this story and the actual series and if there are I apologize for them but I'm trying to remain creative with this story while at the same time trying to stay true to the characters and the show. So please excuse any of my slip ups and enjoy the story. Oh yeah, I'm trying for some humor relief with this chapter since all the others were all so serious and painful. Thanks!

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID 

PART 2

Chapter 2

Tommy's POV:

"Kim, um, what exactly was that?" I asked as the apparition disappeared. I blinked my eyes trying to clear them, thinking that perhaps it had been a trick of the light or the playing of shadows. I couldn't believe that I had just seen a ghost…I didn't want to believe it.

"An old friend saying good-bye." she answered. She burrowed further into my embrace, her head resting lightly against my chest. I didn't even notice, I was to busy staring at where the ghost had been and had disappeared just mere moments before.

"Just an old friend saying good-bye?" I repeated her answer. 

"Mm-hmm," I heard her respond distractedly. I looked down at the beauty encased in my warm embrace, she was peacefully sleeping. A gentle smile crossed my face and I buried my mouth in her sweet-smelling hair and breathed deeply of her perfume. _Good night Beautiful, _I thought silently as I gently kissed the top of her head.

I leaned her quietly back against the bed and brought the silky sheets up to tuck her in. "Good night Beautiful," I said softly. I didn't want to awaken her.

"Good night my White Knight," she said sleepily. Her eyes never opened and I knew she was deep into Neverneverland.

I kissed her gently on the tip of her nose and rose to leave but not before I turned around one last time to look at her peacefully sleeping form. The apparition stood there once more, gazing down at Kim's sleeping form. She must've sensed my gaze for she turned her head to look up at me and my eyes locked with hers. She smiled ever so swiftly, _Thank you for all you have done for her and all you will do. _Her voice soundlessly echoed within my mind.

"I haven't done a thing." I answered aloud.

__

You will…more than you will ever know. Her voice came within my mind again. It was a strange feeling to communicate this way with someone.

__

"I don't understand." I was really very puzzled by her enigmatic riddles.

__

You will, just listen to her, really listen to her. Watch over her carefully Tommy Oliver. For if you don't I will haunt you forever. With that said she disappeared once more. I was actually hoping never to be seen again. She gave me the creeps, really gave me the creeps. _Beware of the Leopard Tommy…it could take all from you that you hold dear. Beware of the Leopard…Her voice echoed through my mind, through the silent room._ My gaze turned once more to Kim's sleeping form. She had not awakened nor heard any of it. I was actually starting to wonder if I had lost my mind. I could hear the chatter coming from downstairs and decided I had a very serious question for Jason and Trini, even if they all thought I was crazy or going crazy. It didn't matter, I needed this question answered.

********************

Aisha's POV:

"How long have they been up there?" I asked as I glanced at the watch on Billy's left wrist. He looked down at me and shrugged his shoulders. "I wonder what they're doing." I smiled mischievously. I caught Trini's gaze and raised a questioning eyebrow up at her.

She smiled impishly but shook her head. I reclined my head so that it fell back against Billy's one leg. I felt him drape one of his arms down across my right shoulder, so I leaned my head against it and smiled to myself. I knew there were feelings there between us but each of us were too stubborn or too shy, perhaps, to mention or act upon them. It was at times like this that I could feel my spirit soar at the possibilities of what could be.

"Should someone go up and check on them?" I asked.

"Do you hear anything being thrown around?" Trini asked in response.

Everyone became deathly quiet and listened to the peace. "I hear a bed squeaking," Rocky said with a huge smile as he started to laugh. Kat's friend Isabel, also from Australia, threw the closest pillow to her at Rocky and started to laugh herself. He glared at her and then childishly stuck his tongue out. "Like to see you do that again!" he said, pretty much daring her to try it again. I could just see what was going to happen here and I wasn't disappointed.

Isabel picked up the pillow on the far side of Kat, the two of them were both sitting on the Love Seat, and tossed the small pillow toward Rocky. He ducked it, thinking he had missed the flying projectile. It bounced off of the wall behind him and smacked him in the back of the head. He grimaced and rubbed the back of his head. "Now that ain't fair!" he exclaimed. "I didn't know that the wall was going to gang up on me too."

Everyone started to laugh. I watched as Isabel got up from her seat next to Kat and walked over to Rocky, he stared up at her cautiously. "Scoot forward," she ordered.

Rocky just stared up at her, "Why?"

"'Cause I told you too," she answered.

"Why?" he asked again.

"Shut up and just do it!" she demanded.

"No," he said. "Tell me why first."

I tried not to laugh as she climbed into the seat, just behind him, and tried to squeeze her slender frame into the small space between him and the chair back. In her thick Australian accent so much like Kat's she reprimanded him, "Don't you know never to question a lady when she gives you an order? Especially a lady that knows all I know about you, Mr. Red Ranger…oops, actually Mr. Retired Red Ranger…?" 

Isabel was one of the few friends we had considered trustworthy enough to know our secret, and so far she hadn't showed us any reason to believe we had misplaced that trust. A friend of Rocky's, by the name of Matt, was also included in our small circle. The guy had to work that night so Rocky said he would be over later.

I glanced once more at Billy's watch. It was just after 10... "Hey Rocky?" I asked.

He looked over at me, his eyes half-hooded. Isabel was slowly massaging his neck and back for him. "Hmmm…?" he asked, a dreamy smile playing across his lips. The guy was totally enjoying himself. Though I was actually surprised he was allowing Iz to do that, they usually did nothing more than fight the whole night through. You'd almost swear they were related or something…or even an old married couple, the thought popped into my head unbidden but I couldn't help but smile at it. 

Rocky's eyes suddenly opened wide as he glared at me. "Hey, what's that smile for?"

"Huh? What smile?" I asked innocently.

"Aisha, I've know you for…" he stopped, pretending like he was counting on his fingers, then looked up at me with an annoyed expression. "Well, I don't exactly know for how long, but I know that look. What were you just thinking?"

I couldn't resist. "Nothing really… just what a cute couple you two make," I added and watched as both of them became speechless. Isabel's mouth dropped and her eyes became as big as saucers. Their blushes were so deep, I'd actually never knew that there was that kinda shade of red!

Suddenly I heard footsteps coming down the stairs and we all turned to look to the base of the steps at the same time. Tommy paused there, his eyes wearily looking at each person, ex-Ranger and trusted friend alike.

"How is she?" Jase asked from his vantage point sitting with Trini right next to the base of the stairs.

"She's asleep…" he paused as he looked over at Rocky and Isabel. "Finally!" he said out loud and they both turned surprised eyes toward him. _Hmmm, was he talking about Kim finally being asleep or Rocky and Iz?_

Rocky was just about to make a smart comment, nothing unusual for him, when Tommy continued. "Jase…um, this house isn't haunted is it?" he asked.

Both Jase and Trini looked at each other. I think the smiles left everyone's face all at once, this was not the kind of question we had expected from Tommy. I grasped hold of Billy's hand. Trini cuddled deeper into Jase's embrace and Isabel wrapped her arms around Rocky's waist and buried her face into the curve of his shoulder. He placed a comforting hand over top of her hands. Tanya leaned forward in her seat next to Adam on the couch, looking expectantly over at Tommy. Kat's eyes opened wide and she looked down at Zack who was sitting next to the Love Seat she and Isabel had both just moments before occupied.

"What a spooky thing to ask." Isabel said so quietly, I'd almost not heard her.

"You're not frightened of a ghost are you?" Rocky teased as he tried to turn around and get a good look into the Australian beauty's face.

"Shh you two, I wanna hear this," I admonished them gently.

They both just glared at me, but said nothing further. All eyes turned attention back to Tommy, Trini and Jase. I leaned further back against Billy, so grateful that he had returned from Aquitar and was here to stay. I was also glad that his marriage hadn't worked…though I would never say that to his face. I was way to polite to do something like that…yeah right! I just didn't want to bring up any sore subjects or bad memories.

"What do you mean is our place haunted?" Jase was just asking, looking quite stunned as he gazed up at one of his friends he had known the longest…well, maybe not the longest, but one of his best of friends anyways.

"Just what I said man…is your house haunted?" Tommy repeated the question. I thought maybe it was some kind of joke, but the look on his face put that thought to rest. Tommy was being dead serious.

"Yeah, Tommy, it's haunted…look at all the ghosts hanging around here. Look, over there sits Billy and Aisha…their love life is so dead that it comes back to haunt them." He was joking, but I was so ready to kill him, until I saw the smile spread across his face. "Then there's me and Trini, our social life is so dead we had to bury it last week, sorry we forgot to invite you to the funeral man. Oh, what about Rocky and Isabel over there? Their senses are so dead I'm surprised they can even…" he stopped mid-sentence as one pair of dark eyes and one pair of blue eyes suddenly turned death stares at him. "Ok, maybe I don't want to go there…." he paused and tried to laugh nervously.

"I'm quite sure that my senses are perfectly fine thank you!" Isabel huffed as she got up from behind Rocky and strolled out into the kitchen. _I believe that the girl was just a bit peeved. She'd get over it quite soon, we always did. These kind of mock arguments happened every time we were all together, it was just part of how we dealt with things…Isabel had learned that quite quickly once Kat had brought her into the fold._

"I'm sure your senses are quite good too Iz, but you just can't seem to sense when someone has the hots for you!" Jase called after her as she left the living room. Rocky glared daggers at his predecessor.

"Can we get back to the topic at hand?" I asked.

"Which was what?" Rocky quipped. "The ghost or my lack of a love life?"

"Both?" Kat said from the love seat.

Rocky glared at her. "And that is suppose to mean what?" he shot back.

"Exactly what I said. Both. We're talking about a ghost or haunting, or whatever, and your apparent lack of a love life. Though I'm sure if you just went ahead and made the first move there would be no lack there of any longer." Kat said and smiled innocently over at Rocky, who just continued to glare at the Australian beauty.

"Whatever." was all he would say.

"If you two are done," Tommy said from the doorway. I turned my attention back to him. He was now leaning up against the doorframe, looking curiously in at the assembled group of friends. "Do you know if this house was haunted Jase, seriously? If anyone died in it or near to it? Anything at all?" I noticed for the first time that Tommy looked kind of pale.

"No," Jason answered.

"Did something happen?" I asked.

"I guess you could say that…" he trailed off but wouldn't look any of us in the eyes.

***************

Trini's POV:

I got up from my perch on Jase's lap and walked over to stand in front of Tommy. He gave the appearance like he would fall over at any moment. "What happened Tommy?" I asked ever so quietly. He shook his head but still refused to meet my gaze. Something had seriously frightened him.

"Tommy?" I asked once more and this time I laid my hands on his arms as they hung limply at his sides. He shrugged my hands off and crossed his arms in front of his chest, but still he would not meet my eyes. "Tommy, what happened upstairs?" 

"I really don't want to talk about it Trini." he answered, but still would not look me in the face.

"Are you sure?" I asked. I felt Jason get up from the chair and move up behind me. Tommy looked up and I saw for the first time the fear and confusion written there across his face. _What had happened up there in that room? _I wondered.

"Is Kim alright?" I asked.

He looked first at me then at Jason. "She's fine." he answered. "We talked…I understand a lot of what was going on in her life at the time she wrote that letter. I don't understand all of it, but we still need to talk." He looked away from me again and then turned to look up the stairs. Up toward Kim. "I don't know how much I can tell you. I don't really know if I have the right to tell you what we discussed. If she wants you to know, she'll have to tell you. Which I'm sure she will once she is ready."

"Tommy, what is this about the house being haunted?" Jason spoke up from behind me.

"Yeah," I heard the chorus of voices coming from deeper within the living room.

"I saw something up there." Tommy answered. "I'm not really quite sure what I saw…or if I want to believe I saw what I'm thinking I saw." He paused and looked over at Jason. "Did that honestly make any sense?"

"What ever Kim told you must've really shook you up." Jason said.

"Do you not believe in ghosts?" an Australian accented voice asked from behind us. I wasn't quite sure if it was Kat or Isabel. They sounded too much a like.

"Not all have the same outlook on life as you do my dear Katherine." Another Australian accent quipped from the kitchen, just off to Tommy's right. I knew then who had spoken first.

"And just what are you saying Iz?" I heard Kat respond.

"Not all believe in ghosts, that's all." came the reply.

"Oh." Her response to Isabel was a mere sigh on a released breath.

"Would you two shut up?" Rocky said from his seat.

"No!" the two Australians said at the same time. Isabel squeezed past Tommy and walked further into the living room and returned to her seat next to Kat, but not before she looked over at Rocky and very childishly stuck her tongue out at him. I started to giggle, which earned me a questioning look from my husband. I motioned toward the two Australian women, but it was to late by the time he looked so he missed the flirting going on between Rocky and Isabel. To bad.

"I ,myself, personally believe in ghosts." Isabel added her two sense.

"And me as well." added Kat.

"Oh, I don't know." Rocky said. "I've never seen one so how am I suppose to believe in them?" he asked.

"I'll show you one." I barely heard Isabel say beneath her breath. I tried not to giggle again but couldn't help as the soft laugh escaped my lips.

"I believe in them." Both Aisha and Billy said at the same time. _I wish those two would get their act together almost as much as I wish Rocky and Isabel would._

What anyone else had to say was drowned out by Tommy starting to speak once more. "I'm positive that that is what I saw up in that room. We had just finished talking about what had happened to her in Florida and the big accident with the rig-"

"I would quite say it was big." Jason said.

"From what she told me about it, it was." Tommy said. Jason and I both looked at each other. We couldn't be talking about the same accident then. "I mean," Tommy continued. "Someone was killed in it."

Now I knew we weren't talking about the same one. No one had been killed in the accident on the way back from the airport. We were all fine. The rig was even ok. "What are you talking about?" Jason asked before I could. "No one was killed in the accident. There was barely even any damage done to the car, if any at all."

"The accident in Florida." Tommy said. Jason and I exchanged another brief look. This was actually the first we had really heard anything about it. "The one where her car was totaled. The very car sitting out in your garage. The one in which one of her friends was killed. She blamed herself for the longest time…." he trailed off. "I've already said to much. I shouldn't have told you all of this, it isn't my right too."

"She was in a car accident in Florida?" I asked. What else had happened that none of us knew about?

"Yes. She was driving. They'd stopped at a red light…" he paused and looked at each of us again. "When the light turned green, she'd started to go, but a tractor trailer plowed through the intersection without stopping and side swiped her car. Vicky died moments later from severe head trauma. It was touch and go for a while-" Tommy was cut off by the sudden ringing of the doorbell.

"I'll get it." I said and walked past Tommy back toward the kitchen and out into the breezeway. Rocky's friend Matt stood there, a large bag of grocery's in his hands. I opened the door for him and smiled as I invited him in. Unlike the rest of the group who would just let themselves in, Matt always used the doorbell. "Come on in Matt. Everyone's in the living room."

"I brought some snacks." he said as he handed the brown paper bag to me. I peeked inside. Chips, salsa, some cupcakes and I noticed sitting behind him was a twenty-four pack of Mountain Dew. "Oh," he said once he saw where my gaze was directed. "I also brought some soda."

"Thanks!" I said. "This should keep Rocky occupied for a little while."

"I wouldn't even give it a little while really." Matt said and we both started to laugh. He pushed a lock of blond hair from his eyes and smiled. "He may be one of my best friends, but I've never seen anyone eat quite as much as he does."

"And you never will either." I responded. I grabbed a few bowls, filled them up with the goodies motioned for him to grab the soda and follow me into the living room.

"Food!" Rocky yelled and bounded toward us like he hadn't eaten in days.

"Is that all you can think about?" Isabel asked with mock distaste.

"No, I think a lot about sex too." He said and smiled at the shocked look that briefly crossed her face.

"Oh, you are so unorthodox. And extremely disgusting!" she said as she turned her head away from him as he started to shove the chips and salsa into his mouth, and then guzzle down the soda.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners, I didn't even ask you if you wanted any!" He got up from his seat and sauntered over toward Isabel. "Here milady, would you like something to eat, or maybe something to drink. Anything to shut your mouth for a few seconds so I can eat in peace."

I laughed, boy was he going to get it! She narrowed her eyes, her lips were compressed into a narrow line and her brows scrunched up in anger. "You want me to shut up for a few seconds, do you?" she asked and her voice was just tightly controlled anger. _Watch your back Rocky, you pissed her off big time this time around. _I thought, and couldn't wait to see what kind of retribution she had in mind for him.

"Yeah, just so I can eat in peace." he answered.

"Ok, if that's how you want it." 

"I swear Iz, you just seem like you never shut up." his gaze fell on Kat, "But that just might be an Australian trait or something." Kat looked like she was starting to fume too. _If I was Rocky I think I would've shut up and sat down right then. _ I looked over at Jason. He looked over at me and smirked, he must've been thinking the same thing that I was.

Tommy looked at both of us and I was relieved to see some of the color had returned to his face and he was actually smiling. Like he couldn't wait to see what both Kat and Isabel's response would be to Rocky's remarks.

We didn't have long to wait. Everyone was watching and waiting.

Kat gave a soft "Humph!" and turned her attention to Zack who was still sitting down next to the Love Seat beside her. Isabel kind of amazed us all, she continued to goad Rocky into his verbal assault.

"I think the same could be said about you and your eating. That seems to be all I ever see you doing. Eat, eat and more eat, nothing else. How did you ever manage to make it to any of your fights?" Oh, what a low blow. She was good, I had to give her that.

Rocky's face turned seven shades of red. "Yeah, well, what about you and your shopping?" Not a very good comeback.

"Is that the best you can do?" she shot back.

"Give me a sec and I'll come up with something. We're all not as cold hearted as you are!" he shot back.

"I'm only cold hearted to ignorant morons like you." She was good, I had to admit that, very good.

"No wonder you haven't had a boyfriend since you arrived here. You're to cold. Probably once kiss from you would be enough to chill a guy to his bones." Nice counter strike there Rocky.

"You think so?"

"Actually yeah I do." came his response.

Isabel suddenly jumped up from her seat, we all thought she was going to deck Rocky, what she did next made us all gasp. My eyes opened wide and I turned to look at Jason, only to hear him gasping from surprise. Tommy's mouth was hanging open, as was Aisha and Billy's. Kat was clapping delightedly. All's you heard was a collective gasp from the room.

I couldn't believe she had just did that.

"I guess he'll learn to shut his mouth next time, won't he?" Matt asked.

Sorry this took me so long, but I had to rewrite it a couple of times. I wasn't happy with how things were going and then I had to change things to make other things make sense and it was just becoming a head ache and the ideas didn't want to let me alone. But, hey it's finally done. 10 more reviews and hopefully I'll get the third chapter out a lot sooner than this one was. The third one is going to be a little scary…oh, and if you don't understand the warning that Vicky gave to Tommy about the Leopard, that's good. You're not suppose too. Well, tell me what you think and as always, REVIEW!! Thanks a million!


	3. History Repeats Itself

Disclaimer : I don't own the Rangers…the only things that belong to me are the story plot and the idea, oh and also Isabel, Kristin and Matt, and anyone else you might not recognize.

A/N : I'm glad you all approve of Isabel and the girl will continue to stand up to Rocky, although they do each like one another and that will be an entirely different romance there, which may or may not be included in this story or maybe another. I don't know yet. The truth behind Vicky's warning about the Leopard is revealed at the end of this story…and you may all be ready to hang me once you find out what has happened…as always, Read and Review. It's greatly appreciated!

A/N2 : Oh, and by the way, the beginning of this chapter will be from Kat's POV. Then I'll switch to ones I'm more familiar with. 

****

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID

PART 2

Chapter 3 : History Repeats Itself

"Isabel!" I screamed. "What are you doing?" I couldn't believe she had just done what I think she'd done. The look on Rocky's face told me he was feeling the same thing I was. Total and utter shock.

"What?" she turned around to look innocently at me. "I didn't do anything." she said rather child like. "At least nothing he didn't enjoy." The smile that suddenly appeared on her face led me to believe that she was the one who had enjoyed it more.

I heard Zack starting to laugh, followed by Aisha, then the rest of the room. I turned to look over at Zack and he returned the look, he just wouldn't quit laughing. _You think it's funny? _I mouthed to him. He just nodded his head.

"Isabel!" I said as I turned my attention back toward her, "I can't believe you!" 

"What?" she asked, smiling broadly. "I didn't do anything bad. He insulted me so I had to prove him wrong."

I turned my attention to Rocky. He was just standing there in front of us, his mouth opened wide with shock. Isabel's light pink lipstick was smudged delicately against his lips. "Rocky?" I asked, he didn't respond, didn't even look at me.

"I think he's still in shock." I heard Tommy chuckle.

I looked over and glared at him. He just started to laugh even more. "Tommy, I think you're ghost is calling you." I said tartly. Instantly I regretted it as he paled considerably. "I'm sorry Tommy, I'm just not use to my dear friend Isabel Caroline Bryant acting this way." I turned my ice-cold glare toward the afore mentioned friend.

Her smile actually broadened. She was still standing next to Rocky and looked at him rather pitifully like. "He enjoyed it and he can't tell me he didn't!" She said as she walked in front of him to return to her seat next to me. "Next time he'll think before he says that my kisses could freeze a guys bones, won't you Rocko?" She didn't even turn around to look at him as she said that.

Since Iz still had her back toward Rocky, she never saw his sudden movement. He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her up against him. Iz's eyes opened wide in surprise and I actually heard a high pitch squeak pass her lips. Rocky caught her completely by surprise.

But she was about to deliver another surprise to him. She grabbed hold of one of his hands and spun out of his grip while at the same time flipping him so he landed on his back. "Oh, did I forget to mention…you don't ever wanna scare me. I get pretty mean when someone does that." Her smile broadened as she leaned down over Rocky. "Nice try though." She said as she planted a soft kiss on his lips. Then she straightened up and returned to her seat next to me.

"Isabel," I said. She turned her head to face me, the smile still hadn't left her lips. "You are impossible!" I sighed.

"Well, he's the one that said my kisses could freeze a guys bones. I couldn't allow him to get away with saying something like that, now could I?"

"Can we change the topic of discussion now?" Rocky's voice croaked from the floor next to our feet. I felt so bad for him…but maybe he wouldn't pick on Iz anymore now, at least not like usual. Somehow I really doubted that, their flirting seemed like second nature for the two of them.

*********

The next morning,

Isabel's POV :

__

Ouch, man does my head ever hurt! I guess I shouldn't have drank all the soda that I had…I thought as the first bright rays of the sun passed over my eyes the next morning. My head was lying on something soft and warm…at first I thought it was Kat, but she was across the room in a chair with Zack, and they looked pretty damn cozy!

__

Who in the hell? I though as I turned my neck to look up at who it was I was using as my personal pillow. _Rocky?!_

I suddenly heard a commotion coming from the steps and a petite girl in a simple pink summer dress came running down the stairs with a vanilla folder gripped tightly in her hands. _That must be Kim,_ I thought to myself as she headed into the kitchen and out into the breezeway. Moments later I heard the whining of a car engine. Then the sputtering of the same car engine.

Tommy opened his eyes and stared blearily around the sunlit living room. "What's that noise?" he asked, his voice still pretty groggy.

"I believe it's Kim trying to start her car out in the garage." I answered and felt Rocky move beneath my sleepy head. "Hey, hold still, would ya?" I said as I playfully punched him in the stomach.

"Do that again and I might be running to the bathroom," he quipped.

__

He wasn't going to get sick, was he? "Not feeling to well?" I asked, "Shouldn't have eaten all that junk food last night."

"No," he answered with a strange smile. "My bladder is kind of full and you're laying right on it so it's making me really hafta go right now." 

"Oh," I said quietly, but I didn't move off of him. Instead I applied more pressure to his stomach as I brought my left hand up to lay my head against. I couldn't help but smile as he started to squirm around beneath the added weight. "Sorry…I guess that didn't help much." I said with a hint of sarcasm in my voice. "But my shoulder was starting to cramp…"

"That's alright," he said as he shifted slightly so that his one arm was draped across my waist. I looked wearily up at him, wondering what his next plan of attack would be. I didn't have long to wait as I felt his fingers gently dancing across my hip. I squirmed and tried to get away from his fingers, he was very gently starting to tickle me. "What's wrong?" he asked all innocent like.

I glared up at him. "Nothing at all," I lied. I quit squirming, but he didn't stop tickling. He gently dug into my waist so that I resumed my wriggling in an attempt to get away from his questing fingertips. It did no good and I was finally forced to sit up and glare at him from the other side of the love seat. He just smiled as he got up and walked in the general direction of the bathroom. "Make sure you don't get it caught in the zipper!" I called out, which only earned me a disarming smile.

"Don't worry, if that happens I'll call you to come in to kiss it and make it better." he shot back at me, which made my cheeks turn three shades of crimson. I sputtered but wasn't able to do much more than that.

"Why don't you two just admit your feelings for each other and quit with the games?" Tommy asked from the floor, his bed for the night.

"I have no idea at all about what you are talking about." I said as I turned my light blue eyes toward him.

"You really expect me to believe that?" he asked.

__

No, not at all. I just don't know if I want to trust my heart to him. I've had it broken to many times, I don't wanna risk it again, I can't risk it again. It was almost as if he could read my mind for instantly his features softened up and he crawled up on the love seat next to me. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, playing the fool.

"The look in your eyes, I've seen it many times…in my own. What happened for you to not trust love like that?" He actually seemed like he might understand what I had went through, the heartache and humiliation. From what I understood of his past with Kimberly, it had been a pretty bad break-up, but apparently there had been unseen circumstances. That was not the case with my past.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said, hoping he would take the hint and drop the subject. It was not to be.

"It helps sometimes if you talk about it. Especially if the other person understands and can offer some advice and support." It seemed pretty awkward hearing this from a guy…maybe he knew what he was talking about after all.

I wouldn't find out 'cause suddenly Kim came in, madder than a hornet that had just been stepped on. "What's wrong Beautiful?" I heard him ask. She turned loving brown eyes toward him as she walked into the living room.

She smiled distractedly toward me, but didn't really pay me much attention. I didn't mind all that much, I didn't like being in the center of attention, it wasn't who I was. "My car won't start," she said dejectedly.

"Where were you going in such a hurry?" he asked as he stood up and took one of her hands into his own.

"I'm suppose to have a therapy session this morning. My first one here, so I can't really miss it. But that stupid pile of metal out there won't start and I'm going to be late…I don't want to bother Jase or Trini, I know you all went to sleep late last night…" she looked forlornly up at him, as if silently pleading with her eyes for him to come to her rescue. I imagined they had done an awful lot of that.

"I could take you, if you don't mind." he offered.

Her face brightened up almost immediately. "You wouldn't mind?" She asked.

"Not at all, at least if it's for you." he answered.

"Oh thank you Tommy!" she cried as she jumped into his arms.

"Your quite welcome Kim." he said as he laughed softly and kissed her gently on the tip of her nose. I almost envied them for what they'd been lucky enough to get back, something I would never know again. "I'm just going to run to the bathroom real quick," he said.

"Um, Tommy?" they both turned to look at me. "Rocky's in there right now." I said.

"Oh." he said and looked down at Kim. "Do you mind waiting a few minutes?"

"No, I guess not. It shouldn't matter if I'm a few minutes late. Just as long as I make it there in one piece." She was smiling as she said the last part, it must've been some private joke between them or something.

*************

Kim's POV:

(A/N : I know, I'm having a lot of segments in this particular chapter. A lot of action going on along with a lot of ideas.)

Jase and Trini's place was located just outside of the main section of Angel Grove so we had to hop onto the highway in order to get to the place where my therapy was set up for. The guy, someone by the name of Dr. Antonio Perez, was suppose to be a specialist in his field. If anyone could help me get back what that accident had taken from me physically so long ago, they said it would be him. I was honestly hoping so.

"So, what were you two talking about when I came in?" I asked Tommy as I looked over at him.

"Huh? Who?" he asked and looked confusedly over at me.

"That girl and you? Who is she by the way? A friend of Kat's or something?" There was no suspicion or anything in my voice. I held no grudge against Kat or Tommy. I was actually glad that he had tried to move on with his life after what I had done to him.

"Yeah, her name is Isabel. We call her Iz or Izzy once in a while. She's a friend of Kat's from back in Australia. She moved here a little over four years ago. Just like Kat, she hasn't lost that accent of hers." He looked over at me and smiled. "I think you'll like her."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, she's pretty nice. We've been working for the last year or so on trying to get her and Rocky together. We can all see that they'd be perfect together, but it just seems they can't see it themselves. Last night was the closest they've came to anything."

"Why, what happened?" I asked.

"Rocky pissed her off." he answered and started to laugh.

"What did he do?" I could just imagine all sorts of possibilities of what he could've done.

"They were getting into the insults really bad, I mean really bad. He told her that her kisses would probably freeze a guy's bones, or something to that effect," he laughed. "She wasn't to thrilled at the comment. I guess she wanted to prove him wrong. She kind of surprised the hell out of him as well as the rest of us."

"Well? What did she do?" I asked anxiously. I could almost imagine it.

"She kissed him, full on the lips." he answered.

"Oh, I bet Rocky could've probably just died!" I laughed.

"That wasn't the funniest part." 

"There's more?" I asked, what could've been funnier than seeing Rocky shocked speechless?

"Oh yeah. Rocky tried to surprise her by grabbing hold of her suddenly from behind. Needless to say it didn't work. She flipped him on his back like it was nothing out of the ordinary for her. I'd almost swear that she was the ex-Power Ranger and not Rocky, if I didn't know better." he started to laugh again and I joined him.

"And I missed it? I would've loved to have seen the look on his face." I was looking at a trailer we were just starting to pass, I tried not to grimace as flashes of memory assaulted my mind. I tried to look away from it, but my eyes kept on wondering back to it. My heart was starting to thunder in my chest, "Tommy!" I gasped. He looked over at me, the worry evident in his eyes. "Tommy, you're to close to that trailer." I pleaded in a mere whisper.

"I've got everything under control Kim, don't worry." He said as he tried to comfort me.

But I was worried as I watched the large trailer sway dangerously back and forth, almost coming into our lane before going back into its own. I tightly closed my eyes and refused to look at it any further. "Kim!" I heard his excited voice. I opened my eyes to look at him, it was my biggest mistake.

We were boxed in by not just one of those huge trailers, but three of them now. My heart leapt up into my throat and I actually thought it was going to clog my throat so I couldn't breath. "Tommy!" I tried to gasp, as the fright threatened to destroy my last hold on sanity.

There was a large trailer in front of us, not the same one as before. The trailer was different…some other color or something, I'm not quite sure. The trailer that we had passed just moments before was now behind us but another trailer was coming up along side of us, and scaring the living hell out of me. "Tommy please!" I cried, the fright and memories too much for me.

"It's ok Kim. Our exit is coming up real soon. Sorry, I didn't think it would bother you this bad." He smiled over at me, trying to ease my worries. My worries would be eased once we were away from all of the trailers and the highway and anything that could even remotely remind me of that accident ten years ago…

"Kim, do you realize what those trailers are?" Tommy asked suddenly.

"No," I answered and really at that moment I didn't really care or want to know. I just wanted away from them. "And I don't want to know Tommy." I said softly. So softly I don't think he heard me because he kept right on about those trailers that were terrifying me.

"The one in front of us belongs to Bobby Labonte. The number 18 car, usually sponsored by Interstate Batteries, though right now it has a logo of a Snow Leopard across the trailer in honor of the upcoming EAP Rally. Otherwise known as the Endangered Animals Pro Rally." he continued on about the trailers, though I'd caught a strange note in his voice as he'd said the word Leopard. I looked at him curiously, but his attention was turned to the road ahead of us, though he did keep looking in the mirrors.

"The one coming up along side of us belongs to Terry Labonte, Bobby's older brother. He drives the number 5 Kellogg's car. Right now though it has a picture of an Bengal Tiger on it, instead of the cartoon character Tony the Tiger it usually has." I so badly wanted to tell him I really didn't care but he was trying so bad to comfort me so I figured I'd entertain him for a bit more.

"The trailer behind us holds the car of Dale Earnhardt Jr. son of one of the greatest men in racing history. Dale Sr. died in a horrific car accident on the last lap of his first race in the 2001 Winston Cup year." I yawned but tried to look like I was finding all of this interesting, though it had actually taken my mind off of my worry of the trailers surrounding us…until I thought of it again.

"I had your mind off of it for a little bit there, didn't I?" he asked as he looked over at me quickly, from the driver's seat. I nodded my head slowly, but didn't really smile at him.

"You did for a little bit there Tommy, but I would feel a lot better if we were off of this road and away from these rigs and trailers."

"But you weren't afraid for just a few seconds though, right?" he asked again as the smile spread across his face once more.

"Yes," I said quietly and listened as he crowed in triumph. So he had been trying to lull me into a sense of ease all along, and he had managed it until my mind had conjured up thoughts about the horrific accident once again.

Suddenly the sound of triumph turned into a scream of terror as the locks on the rear panel of the lead trailer jolted loose and the boarding ramp for the car fell down onto the asphalt below. Tommy screamed at the same time I did as we both saw the midnight black car roll down from its prison with in the belly of the trailer.

The Snow Leopard on its front gazed evilly at us, it's mouth opened in a feral snarl. I felt my voice lost in my throat, I couldn't scream, the noise was caught within the depths of my throat. 

The snow-white leopard looked like it was leaping out from the midnight black of the hood of the car. From either side of the snarling beast were what looked like strands of ribbon. One green and one pink, each a single strand that ran down the sides of the car. The green strand ran down the passenger side of the dark car, while the pink strand ran down the driver's side. The two pieces of ribbon never touched and never met, not even from their starting points right behind the stocky body of the large cat.

"Tommy!" I screamed as the large car careened down onto the road directly in front of us. 

"Hold on Kim." he hollered back, unable to do anything else. "There's no where for me to go!"

I looked over towards his side of the road, Terry Labonte's trailer was just starting to slow down but still they effectively blocked any way of escape we may have hoped for. I knew they hadn't done it on purpose, but I wished they had stayed further back, instead of moving as a pack like they had.

I saw the big black beast lurch onto the roadway, sparks flying from its undercarriage. We're going to die, the thought ran unbidden through my head. The brake lights for the trailer in front of us suddenly came on, and I noticed that the trailer behind us was steadily flashing his headlights. I don't want to die, I survived a terrible car accident once, I don't know if I could do it again.

A sudden thought occurred to me as my mind started to randomly sift back through dates…It had been exactly ten years ago today that that terrible accident had occurred. Ten years to the date, and here I was, about to be in another one just as terrifying. I was certain I was doomed to die, maybe I was running on borrowed time or something and they had finally caught up with me. Maybe I was originally suppose to die on that day and somehow I had managed to cheat death…was this the day I would die? I couldn't stand to believe such a thing, especially since it now looked like it was possible for Tommy and I to try and start over…life just couldn't be this unfair, could it?

I felt the impact more than I felt it since I had decided to close my eyes. I didn't want it see it this time around, I didn't want to be able to remember it later, if I lived through it. Knowledge was not always power in some cases…this would be such a case.

Tommy had swerved the jeep at the last possible moment, I felt the car impact on his side and the front end smash into the guardrails that bridged the side of the highway on my side. The car smacking into the rear of the jeep caused it to spin around, its nose scrapping across the metal of the guardrails and emitting a horrifying squeal I would never forget, at least not till my dying day. Next I felt the rig that had been behind us slam into our back end, which sent us spinning some more. I felt sick to my stomach and could just imagine that I would become ill at any moment.

The rig behind us hadn't hit with the force I had imagined they would so I figured they must've slowed down considerably before they hit us. But I could still imagine the damage that the jeep had suffered. If only I hadn't chickened out of driving my own car…If anything happened to Tommy, it would be all my fault. If I'd been a lot braver and driven my own car, he wouldn't be in this mess with me. Once again it all boils down that I'm to blame, again! I shouldn't have said that my car wouldn't start…it wasn't true.

But we weren't done getting pushed around, not yet. The lead rig had stopped and the rig behind us ended up pushing the battered and disheveled jeep into the rear of that trailer. The force from the rig behind us had spun the jeep around so that it was my side that impacted against the lead rig's trailer…I was praying to pass out anytime soon.

The jeep finally came to a halt. I felt someone's hand against my shoulder and I looked over to see Tommy just before I passed out. I don't even know what he had said, I was dead to the world. My head hurt as did my shoulder and my right leg…was I even going to survive this accident?

That was a good question…

__

I do have this to say, I do not own Terry Labonte, his brother Bobby or Dale Earnhardt Jr. The Endangered Animals Pro Rally is a fictional race I made up in support of my story. Any and all coincidences are just that, coincidences. Well, as always Review and if enough of you are kind enough to give me quite a few good reviews Chapter 4 will be out soon too! Thanks!

Oh, one last thing, thanks to ScarletDeva for all of her help, it wouldn't have been this good if it wasn't for you pointing out my errors to me! Thanks a million girl! I owe you one.


	4. Dreamscapes and Reality

Disclaimer : I own nothing other than story plot and story idea…oh, and any unfamiliar characters are probably mine as well.

A/N : I'll add this later…maybe.

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID

PART 2

Chapter 4 : Dreamscapes and Reality

Isabel's POV :

I was asleep, sound asleep and as was always the dreams started once more. _Mommy! Mommy, _I heard the child's cry. Her voice was muffled and echoed in the dreamscape. I couldn't actually see her but I knew she was somewhere within the ever shifting realities of the dream world and I had to find her.

__

Mommy! Her voice echoed again, this time it came from behind me. There was a hint of fear mixed with anxiety reverberating through her voice. _Mommy! _Her yell echoed out again, this time directly in front of me.

The swirling mists in front of me suddenly parted and a little girl, no older than maybe a year and a half, stood there before me. Her dark blond hair reached down the center of her back, her bright eyes stared up at me, the fear apparent within their depths, emerald green trimmed with a bright oceanic-blue.

__

What are you doing- the words hadn't even escaped my mouth before I sensed that someone else had also invaded my dream. A tall dark shadow moved up behind the little girl and suddenly lifted her up from the ever-shifting dreamscape ground.

She cried out in terror, her tiny pudgy arms reaching out for me, as if pleading for my help. _No! _I screamed and started to sprint toward her. I never made it to her, but I never ever made it to her in any of the dreams. They would always end the same way, with me waking up just before I would reach her, screaming as my heart thundered with in my chest.

"No!" The sound of my own voice woke me up as I continued to scream, even as by now the dream had faded from my conscious mind and I wasn't really sure why I felt so frightened.

I felt someone's arm wrapped around my shoulders and gently shaking me. "Isabel?" the voice cut through my groggy mind. "Isabel, are you alright?"

"Huh? What?" I asked, my mind trying to comprehend what was going on in its not fully awake state.

"Are you ok?" the voice asked again.

I slowly opened my eyes, quickly blinked them in an attempt to chase the last remaining traces of sleep from them. Opening them again I looked up into a pair of soulful dark brown eyes, almost appearing midnight black.

Rocky's POV :

She was tossing and turning in her sleep, as she had been doing for the better part of the night, and this was for the most part the reason why I hadn't gotten much in the way of sleep that night. Occasionally she would mumble something that was completely incomprehensible, and I had to wonder about what it was she was dreaming about. I glanced once more at the VCR and the time. It was a quarter till eleven, everyone else had already left, except for Billy, Aisha, Kat and myself, and of coarse Isabel.

Work or other things to do, those were the others reasons for having to leave. Even Matt had had to go, he actually forgot to ask off from work, I'm glad I'm not him. It was the middle of the week, I'd asked for a personal day at my place of employment…not like they could refuse it considering Tommy, Jason and I owned the place. We all usually would ask off for the next day when we planned a get together like this, I guess some of the others had simply forgotten…man sucks to be them.

Isabel tossed again, her hand came up and grabbed hold of a bunch of my shirt, she held it tightly within her small grasp. "No!" she suddenly screamed. She sat bold upright, her breathing coming in short shallow gasps. "Bren no!" she whispered.

"Isabel?" I asked as her body suddenly collapsed back on to mine again. I gently grabbed hold of her shoulders and shook her. "Isabel, are you alright?"

"Huh? What?" she mumbled incoherently, somewhat still asleep.

"Are you ok?" I asked one more time, really starting to get worried. She finally started to open her eyes as I gazed down at her in worry. The intense blue of them almost startled me, her eyes were swimming with tears. The watery effect only intensified the oceanic blue of them, and it almost took my breath away. "Are you ok?" I asked again once she seemed to be somewhat more awake.

"Yeah." she answered quietly and surprised me as she climbed up onto my lap and buried her face against my chest. Her shoulders were gently shaking and I realized that she was crying. I could feel her tears soaking through my shirt.

"Iz, is everything ok?" I asked and felt her stiffen at once. My arms went around her as I silently tried to comfort her, having no idea what was going through her mind at the time.

She looked up me, the tear trails evident down over her cheeks. Her eyes were luminous blue, the tears looked like sparkling stars within their depths. "I'm fine," she answered quietly. She lowered her gaze and refused to meet mine once more, as if she were afraid of what I would see in her eyes.

"Are you sure?" I'd never seen this side of her before. I'd never ever seen her looking so vulnerable or so much like a lost child as she did now. It actually scared me.

She wiped her eyes then wiped the last remaining traces of the tears from her cheeks and stood up. "I should probably get ready to go home," she said.

"Do you need a ride?"

"Is Kat still here?"

"Yeah, she's outside in the back yard with Billy and Aisha. They're putting up the finishing touches for Kim's surprise Welcome Back Party." I answered.

"Oh," she paused then looked up at me. "We're having a party for Kim? I didn't know that."

"Neither did we till this morning, just before Jason and Trini left to go to the store to pick up some party supplies. It was a kind of impromptu type of thing."

"Oh."

"Still wanna go home?"

"I…don't know." All hell broke loose after she said that. I heard Aisha and Kat scream at the same time as the doorbell to the breezeway rang, and at the precise moment the phone also began to ring. I traded confused looks with Isabel, but she didn't move to go and investigate, it was almost as if she was afraid to move or find out what was occurring.

I stood up then and headed toward the kitchen. I could hear Billy, Aisha and Kat giggling as hey ran into the kitchen from the patio. Their hair was soaked, it must've been a surprise rainstorm then I figured.

The phone rang again, I turned around to look at Isabel, "Could you get the phone while I get the door?" I asked. "I'm sure Jase and Trini won't mind."

She nodded her head and headed over toward the phone, "Hello, Scott residence. How may I help you?" she asked in her thick Australian accent.

"Sudden rain?" I asked as I walked past my three dripping wet friends.

"You could say that." Kat answered and they all started to laugh once more. The joke was lost on me.

I looked at her curiously then looked out on of the nearest kitchen windows. It was just as bright and sunny as it had been earlier, not a trace of a single rain cloud in the sky. I looked over at them again, "Do I even really want to know?" I asked just as the doorbell rang once more.

"Be right back," I said, "Then you can answer that." I heard Kat and Aisha start to laugh then Billy joined in.

I walked out of the kitchen and into the breezeway. There at the sliding glass door stood a girl I had never seen before, she didn't even look remotely familiar. She was about Isabel and Kat's height, her hair was just below her shoulders and a dark shade of chocolate. Her eyes were just a hint of a shade lighter than what her hair was.

She had the same dancer's figure that Kat and Isabel had and I had to wonder if she was a friend of theirs from Australia just come for a visit. I slid the door open and looked at her, "Can I help you?" She looked at me then looked past me, into the breezeway.

"Um," I cleared my throat in an attempt to get her attention. "Can I help you Miss…?" I tried again.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, my name is Kristin Cramner. I'm looking for the residence of Jason and Trini Scott."

"Well, you found it." I said while at the same time thinking, _And exactly how do you know Jase and Trini?_

"Oh good!" she exclaimed. "Then Kim is here?"

"You know Kim too?" _Exactly who is this girl? _

"Oh yes, from the Pan Globals. We trained together."

Now the pieces were starting to fall into place, albeit pretty slowly. Kat came out then, she looked first to our visitor then at me, something was wrong…I could feel it down in my bones, something was terribly wrong. "Excuse me," she said looking at Kristin, "but I need to talk to Rocky for a second." Without even waiting for the girl to respond Kat grabbed gold of my hand and dragged me back into the house. Kristin stood at the doorway in open-mouthed astonishment.

"What's going on?" I asked as soon as Kat had slowed down just a little and her grip on my wrist had eased just slightly.

"Who was that?" She asked instead as we walked into the kitchen. I looked at everyone else, they all sat in a stony silence. _What happened? _I wondered.

"Huh?" I looked at her, just partially confused as to what was going on here, my mind was trying to take in to many things all at once, and it was going in to overload.

"Who was-oh never mind!" Kat exclaimed looking intently at Billy, Aisha and Isabel. "Do you know if Jase and Trini have their cell phone with them?" Kat asked, she looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"What? Probably, but why?" _What in the hell is going on here? _I wanted to scream.

"The phone…" Isabel said quietly, like she was in some state of shock.

"Trini usually always takes the phone with her, Jase makes her. Why?" They were really starting to worry me. "Besides which, Jase likes to have it with him in case something goes wrong at the dojo." I looked down at Isabel where she sat at the kitchen table, she wouldn't look up at me or meet my gaze.

So instead I looked over at Aisha, she also looked away from me, her eyes looking everywhere but at me. _What the hell has happened? _I looked over at Billy, he meet met my eyes and our gazes held. What I saw in the depths of his sent tremors of fear coursing through my body. "Billy, what happened?"

"The phone…" I heard Isabel whisper again and she held up her hands in front of her face as if looking for the missing item. I looked at her just slightly puzzled by her sudden strange behavior.

"What about the phone?" I asked, looking at her once more. She wouldn't say anything further, like she was still in a state of shock. I turned my attention back toward Billy, hoping to get some answers from him. "What's going on? What happened?" I was starting to get really impatient as well as very worried.

"The phone call," Billy said quietly, so quietly I had to lean closer just to hear him. He didn't go any further, it was like he was struggling with himself trying to get the words out.

"What about the phone call?" I asked, just then dimly recalling the phone ringing at the same time I was going out to answer the door.

"It was a police officer," Isabel said in a mere whisper.

"What! Why?" I looked down at her and noticed that she and Aisha had their hands clasped together, silently trying to console each other. Billy moved to stand behind Aisha, his hands gently resting on her shoulders. I looked over at Kat still standing next to me, tears swam in her eyes. "What happened?"

"There was an accident," Billy said. Sobs escaped from both Aisha and Kat at the same time. Isabel still sat in stunned silence, as if the news still had penetrated her brain…or she didn't want to believe it.

"Who?" _Which one of our friends had been involved this time and how badly? _I wondered. _It couldn't have been Isabel, Kat, Aisha or Billy since they were all here, safe and sound. Since they were wondering if Jase or Trini had their cell phone with them, that would lead me to believe it was neither of them either. So that leaves…Adam, Tanya and Tommy, Kim and Zack and Matt. _  


Isabel said something so quietly I didn't hear her. I thought maybe she was talking to herself, but as the tears welled up in her eyes and spilled forth over onto her cheeks, I knew she wasn't. "Who?" I asked again, more gently this time.

"Tommy and Kim," Isabel and Billy said at the same moment. Billy's voice sounded just a bit stronger than what Isabel's broken voice did.

"Tommy and Kim?" I asked. "How?"

"Iz didn't get all the details on what had happened, things were still pretty sketchy the officer said. We do know that they are at County General though, she did find that out." Billy answered.

"How bad…was it?" I asked. _This just couldn't be happening, it just couldn't!_

"They didn't really have a lot of information." Billy said. "They were just putting them into ambulances, but the officer said things didn't look very good."

"Tommy and Kim were in an accident…" Isabel said, repeating the phrase over and over like it was a mantra. "Tommy and Kim were in an accident…Tommy and Kim were in an accident…" 

We heard a sudden gasp from the doorway behind us. We all turned to look at once, there stood Kristin, her mouth hung open in shock.

__

Ok, people, the usual applies here…if you want more story, read and review. Oh yeah, I was thinking of doing a spin off piece to this story based on Rocky and Isabel…it seems that Isabel has quite a hidden past. What do ya think? Let me know…review or e-mail will do. Thanks! 


	5. Giant Revelations

Disclaimer : Standard, I own nothing other than any unfamiliar characters and the story plot and idea…everything else belongs to someone else.

A/N : I'm not out to confuse you with this chapter, though I just might, so I'll explain a few things ahead of time. Kat and Zack are friends, nothing more…implications in earlier chapters may have lead to other conclusions, and I'm sorry for that if that was the case, I was debating on pairing them up and decided not to half way through this chapter. Zack is dating a girl by the name of Brandy and Kat is dating Isabel's older brother Donny, actually they're engaged but that's another story all together. I still haven't made it to Tommy and Kim's car accident so you will have to hang on just a bit longer to find out what has happened there, bear with me and thank you to all of those who have read this and special thanks to all of you who have reviewed. I greatly appreciate it. Now, without any further adieu, on with the story….

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID

PART 2

Chapter 5 : Giant Revelations

Jason's POV :

I pulled the car into the parking lot, surprised at how busy the store was in the middle of the week. "Do we really have to go to this one?" I asked Trini as I maneuvered into a parking spot. Shopping of any form was not in the top spot of my list of what I considered fun. "Seems kind of busy today, sure you don't want to go someplace else instead?"

She just glared at me, "We have to go to this one Jase," she said in her tone of voice that told me there was no room for debate on this particular topic. I sighed as I threw the car into park and turned the engine off. "Besides," she continued, either not hearing or choosing to ignore my sigh of resignation, "they're having a sale on Kim's favorite kind of ice cream." she finished and just looked at me expectantly.

I pocketed the car keys and climbed out of the car, sighing once again. _There had to be a way to get out of this. _"Exactly how many stores are we gonna go to today?" I asked as I followed her up to the grocery store.

She turned around and fixed me with yet another glare, "I believe you have me confused with Kim. I'm not the shopoholic." She grabbed a shopping cart and briskly walked into the store, not even bothering to see if I was following her.

I sighed, again and followed her into the store. "Trini!" I called to her just before she got into the indoor entrance for the store. She stopped, turned around and looked at me raising one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows. "I forgot the cell phone in the car." I turned around to walk back to the car.

"Jason, we're just going into the store, you don't need that phone," she said, her hands planted on either side of her hips. "They can leave a message if anyone does call anyhow." I was just about to argue the point until she started to glare at me once more, she seemed to be doing an awful lot of that today. For some reason I had this odd feeling down in the pit of my stomach that this was going to be a really bad day. "Jason!" she yelled, sounding just a bit exasperated. "Rocky is probably still at the house-eating everything, and Tommy is probably on his way back from taking Kim to where ever it was she had to go today. You have nothing to worry about, so come on!"

There was no arguing with her so I followed her into the store. Immediately she headed for the chips and soda, which confused me. "Um, Trini?" I started to say as she turned around to look at me, a two litre of Code Red Mountain Dew in one hand and two litre of Wild Cherry Pepsi in the other.

"What?" she asked as she looked from on soda bottle to the other, as if deciding which she should get.

"I thought we came in here for ice cream," I said.

She just gave me 'The Look'. "Jason," she said as if she were talking to a small child, "We didn't come in here to just get the ice cream. There are other things we're going to need as well, and since the ice cream is cold we're going to get the other items first." 

I just looked at her blankly, "Oh, okay." I said, still completely confused.

"Jason, it's nearly ninety degrees outside and probably seventy or eighty in here, the ice cream would melt before we ever made it to the checkout lines." she said, again with the voice like she was talking to a small child.

"I understand that," I said, using the same voice on her, "so why don't you just use those ice cream bags that are provided over there?"

She actually rolled her eyes, "Jase, Hon, those things never actually work. We'd have soup long before we ever made it to the registers. Just trust me, ok?" She smiled brightly and held up two bags of chips for my inspection. I looked down into the cart and realized that she had put both bottles of soda into the cart during our exchange of words. "Sour Cream and Onion or Barbeque chips?" she asked looking from one bag of chips to the other. She looked up at me, awaiting an answer.

"You know I like Barbeque chips," I answered.

"So does Kim, and Tommy I believe…what about the others?"

"Rocky will eat anything you put in front of him; Adam I think likes Salt and Vinegar, so does Brandy-"

"Is she going to be back?"

"Zack says her plane is suppose to be arriving later this evening." Trini nodded her head in understanding.

"What about Kat and Isabel?" She had her back toward me, contemplating the chips and other junk food.

"Um, I've seen Iz eating that knew kind of Lays chips over there." I pointed to a bag of chips that read in bold letters **Hickory BBQ**. She grabbed the bad and threw it into the cart. "Um, you'd better get more than one bag."

She turned around to look at me curiously. "It's a super sized bag, won't that be enough?"

"No, last time Iz had a bag of those she refused to share them with anyone. Rocky tried to steal them from her several times and each time he got his hands smacked. It was interesting to say the least." She raised an eyebrow in interest. "You'll have to ask Rocky about it." I said and smiled.

"Ok," she said as she grabbed another bag of the chips and threw them into the car on top of the numerous brands and flavors of soda she'd put into the cart. "So, what else?"  


"How am I suppose to know?" I asked. She just looked at me. "Well, you know some of them just as well as I do." I said.

"Oh really?" she asked, once more arching an eyebrow. "You've known some of them longer than I have."

"Not by much." I responded.

"Well still-"

"Just get a little of everything. Some Doritos and pretzels, don't forget the tortilla chips and salsa…" I paused, thinking of what else you would get for a party. "Oh, and don't forget the cheese and baloney. Did you think of a cake?"

"A cake?"

"Yeah, a cake. No party is ever complete without a cake. Kim likes chocolate, doesn't she?"

"I actually hadn't thought about a cake…" Trini said as she stood there and contemplated the idea. "What do you think, should we get a full sheet or a half sheet?"

"With the way Rocky eats? You'd better get a full sheet cake, but even that might not be enough."

"What about Donny?" she asked, referring to Kat's missing Beau.

"How should I know? Ask his sister or girlfriend, they'd be able to tell you." I answered back.

"You don't know when he's coming back?" she asked.

"Nope. Kat or Isabel would know the answer to that question." I answered.

"Oh, well ok. So, we got some Code Red Mountain Dew, and Wild Cherry Pepsi-"

"Did you get some regular Mountain Dew?" I interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes, I got a twelve pack of that." she answered and pointed down into the cart. "I also got Cherry Coke, and some 7-Up…oops, can't forget the regular Pepsi," she quickly grabbed some off of the shelf and threw that into the cart, being careful so as not to shmoosh any of the chips. "Barbeque chips, Salt and Vinegar, that Hickory BBQ, and also Sour Cream and Onion…" she continued to mumble off what was in the cart and adding something if she found she had forgotten something.

"Ok, time to go and get the cake." she said and headed off toward the front of the store, then veered off quickly to the left once she had reached the front. 

"I'll be over looking at the magazines when you're done." I said, she just nodded her head and continued on her way. Once she had disappeared from my line of sight I headed outside to the car. Pulling the keys from my pocket I unlocked the passenger side door. Slowly opening the door so as not to hit the car parked next to me I sat down on the car seat and opened the glove compartment box and pulled the small red cell phone from it's sheath.

I pushed the power button and waited momentarily for the tiny phone to warm up. It beeped quickly then the messages icon began to flash. I punched in a series of numbers and held the small device up to my ear and waited for the messages to play back.

{Message number 1 : 9:48 am}

{_Mr. Scott, this is Shirley Kizer from the dojo, I tried getting a hold of both Mr. Oliver and Mr. DeSantos and got their voice mail also…it seems there is some problem with the heating systems this morning, they're not working correctly. If you could be so kind as to call as soon as you get this message, I greatly appreciate it.}_

****

Beep

{Message number 2 : 10:01 am}

{_Mr. Scott, hello it's Shirley again…I'm sorry if I worried you, but Mr. Park was in earlier, just shortly after I called and he found out what the problem was. It seems one of the kids did something to the thermostat or something…anyway, please disregard the prior message. Thanks.}_

****

Beep

{Message number 3 : 10:28 am}

{_Jase, it's Rocky…um, we're on our way over to County General. There's been an accident, we don't know how bad right now. Iz took the call, she's pretty shook up right now so we can't get a lot of information out of her. Um, if you want to meet us over there…we'll see you there. We'll meet you at the Emergency Room…see you when you guys get there, bye.}_

****

Beep

{End of messages.}

I bolted back into the store to find Trini, we had to get over to the hospital right away. I didn't know exactly what had happened or who had been involved, but I knew from the feeling within the pit of my stomach that it couldn't be very good. For Rocky to leave a message on my voice mail led me to believe it was even worse than I dared to even think. I had the strangest feeling coarse through my body that one of my friends was about to die…

__

Cliffhanger if I ever saw one…Ok, so exactly what happens and does someone die, you're all probably wondering right now, aren't you? Someone does die…I will give you that much. But I'm not going to tell you who or how…you'll just have to wait for the next chapter. Remember, please review…and please don't get to mad at me for what I am about to do…it'll have a happy ending anyhow, that should give you some sort of measure of comfort…maybe. Well, catch you all on the flip side and stay tuned for the next chapter. 


	6. Death of a Hero

Disclaimer : As always, I own nothing other than story plot and story idea and the few characters that pop up that you have no idea who they might be…like Isabel (Oh wait, you should know her by now), Brandy, Donny…um, Kristin and Matt, now they would all be mine…oh and Bren, but you have no idea who that is yet and won't know till the spin off of this series…ok, I'm done now.

A/N : Sorry the last chapter was so short, this one should prove to be a lot longer and extremely sad, but you'll find out in the end who dies…but don't cheat and go to the end now, read the whole thing and don't just peruse over it, you might miss something important! Please! Ok, this story will be done in no one's point of view, though at times it may switch from one person's perspective to another…without further adieu, on with the story. Enjoy!

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID

PART 2

Chapter 6 : Death of a Hero

"Sir? Sir, can you hear me?" the paramedic asked. The man in the car did not stir. Four cars were involved, three rigs with large trailers attached, two mid-sized trucks, one jeep and one stock car, it was the strangest and one of the worst accidents the young paramedic had seen in his short career. All around sat mutilated and mangled metal, strange forms that had once been cars or trucks or any other assortment of vehicles, but were now nothing recognizable. Fatalities were not tallied nor were all the injured found yet, the authorities weren't even certain how many vehicles were really involved, they were just pretty much guessing at this point.

A man in his late thirties maybe early forties sat in the driver's seat of what had once been a beautiful jade green Ford Taurus. Now the vehicle was an unrecognizable mess of mutilated and twisted metal. The man's salt and pepper hair was streaked with drying blond, his head hung limp as if it were broken. What had once been a crisp and well-tailored business suit was now stained with blood and other unknown liquids…possible oils or gasoline from rupturing lines in the surrounding cars.

A woman who looked to be a bit younger than the man sat in the passenger seat of the car, her auburn hair pulled back into a French Twist, though now it was matted and clumped together with fresh blood. Her green eyes stared vacantly out of the shattered front windshield, the possibility of her still being alive was near zero because of the large piece of sheet metal that stuck out from her chest, splitting her heart in two. 

A young child, about four or five years of age, sat in the back seat, her head sagging forward, her unruly brown hair hanging down into her face. Her breathing was sporadic, her life balancing on a very small thread of life. If she didn't get help soon she too would be counted amongst the fatalities that this strange accident had claimed so far.

"Ma'am? Sir?" the paramedic said again into the car, hoping for an answer but still drawing no response. He heard the faintest of moans come from the back. The child stirred from within the demolished wreckage of what had once been a car. Now it was just a junk heap. She raised her head to look up at the awestruck paramedic, her green eyes only opening partially. "Hello there sweetheart," he said softly once their eyes had met and locked. "Just hold on a sec while I go and get someone over here to see about getting you out, ok?" The paramedic asked the girl very softly.

She licked her lips, trying to moisten their chaftness. Dried blood was caked on her face, a small trickle of the thick red liquid ran from the corner of her mouth and down over her chin, dripping onto her dark red shorts. Fear and pain suddenly flooded across her face, centering in her emerald green eyes, as if she suddenly realized that her chances for survival were growing slimmer with each passing second. "Mommy…Daddy?" she asked, her voice just above a whisper.

The paramedic felt his heart break and shatter into a million little pieces. "Shh honey," he crooned softly, fearing the worse for the child's parents. "It's going to be alright," he lied, not looking into the child's eyes lest she would be able to see the lie hidden there. "I'm just going to find someone to get you and your Mommy and Daddy out of this mess."

The young paramedic walked away from the wrecked car, the smoke from still smoldering wreckages billowing around him. He continued to walk through the debris and total devastation, keeping his eyes intent on his destination as the moans of the wounded carried softly on the wind to his ears. He made his way toward a group of police officers, paramedics and firefighters, all grouped around a central fire truck. "Sir," he said walking up the EMT in charge of casualties. "I've got a young girl trapped in a car on the far side of the scene, with two possible fatalities." 

The commanding officer just looked at the young paramedic momentarily. "What's her vitals and status Mr. Eck?" The superior officer asked after a moment's hesitation. "We're still trying to get into the heart of this mess, and to that jeep…"

Paramedic Eck glanced back toward the carnage that this accident had caused. It was extensive and disastrous, they were still removing corpses from some of the outlying wreckage, at least what they could get too, while trying to put out the fires that were further into the massacre. The soft hood of the white jeep was just visible over the hood of the rig sitting in its passenger side door. The trailer the rig carried had jack-knifed and was sitting parallel with the jeep, sitting precariously…almost looking like it would roll at any moment onto the jeep and the stock car sitting next to it. One more disaster waiting to happen.

"She's conscious, but I don't know for how much longer. She was strapped in the back seat of a mid-sized sedan, lacerations on her face, possible concussion. She's lucid, but not by much." Eck answered.

"I sure hope no one was riding in that passenger's seat," Paramedic Eck heard someone say from behind him. He turned to look back toward the accident and the jeep and stock car that were at the focal point of the whole mess. He had to agree though, the driver really didn't look like they would've faired much better. The jeep was blocked from three sides, the driver's side was wedged against the renegade race car, the passenger side was sitting flush with the front end of one of the rigs and the tail end was sitting against one of the other rigs, one of the trailers, and another car that had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The jeep's front end was sitting flush against the guard rails with one hell of a drop on the other side, it was taking the emergency crews forever to get to that jeep and the people inside, if they were still alive. Every possible vantage point was blocked off by one devastated vehicle or another…there just was no way to get to the jeep and its occupant or occupants unless one or more of the rigs or other demolished vehicles could be moved. Even then there was no guaranteeing that whoever was in the ground zero vehicles were even still alive. It was now a race against time, and time seemed to be winning at the moment.

"Ok, as soon as I got some people spared up I'll send them over." The lead EMT said, turning to look back over the accident. Rescue personnel were running in all different directions, some assisting in the evacuation of the outlying vehicles, while others were trying to get the fire hoses closer to vehicles that were still burning. It was a total and utter mess.

Paramedic Eck started to head back toward the area of the accident where he had found the young girl when he heard someone start to yell from behind him. Intrigued and wondering who was now loosing their temper he turned around to see whom it was yelling this time.

"I need one of those wreckers now!" the portly man yelled into the receiver of his dispatch radio, he paused as the person on the other end responded. "I don't care how you have things blocked off and rerouted-" another pause and the man began to turn three shades of red. "Now you listen to me and you listen good! I need those wreckers and rollbacks up here proto! Like yesterday. I need to get some of these cars out of the way so I can get into the heart of this accident." Again there was the pause and the man began to grind his teeth together. Paramedic Eck recognized him as Captain Donald Reed of the Fire and Rescue Unit #29. "Listen here you stupid, money pinching bureaucratic-" Captain Reed paused and rolled his eyes, for the first time making eye contact with young paramedic Eck. "I will not calm down or watch my language! I have reports of possible fuel leaks-"

His temper seemed to shrink suddenly and a brief if somewhat tired looking smile crossed his face. "Good, good," he said nodding his head. "They'll be coming up the southbound lane?" he nodded again, the tired smile still spread across his face. "Ok, good. We'll keep an eye out for them. Thank you again." Another momentary pause then, "Yes, we greatly appreciate it. Will the wreckers be able to handle large rigs with hauling trailers?" Captain Reed listened to the response, silently nodding his head. "Two of the trailers still have their contents-What?" Another pause. "Yes, race cars." Pause. "No, I have no idea what their weight is." Pause again. "You're going to send some of your larger wreckers for the rigs and their trailers? Ok, we'll expect you in the next five minutes. Thank you and good bye." He broke the connection signal through the dispatch radio and glared at the small device. "Asshole!" he hissed under his breath.

He looked up again at Paramedic Eck and motioned for the young man to come over. As the young paramedic approached, the old Fire Chief looked the younger man over, his eyes briefly resting on the nametag that spelled out S. ECK. "So what's your first name Eck?"

"Sean sir," the younger man answered. "Certified EMT, 3rd year paramedic." Sean briskly nodded and quickly saluted the other man.

"At ease Sean. What's the status so far, how many fatalities and such?" Captain Reed asked.

"I'm not actually certain sir, I've been surveying the outer perimeter of the accident scene…we just found two more possible fatalities on the further side of the scene." Sean turned his head away, to look over toward the direction that the young girl was in. Two EMT's, a police officer and four Firefighters were on their way in that direction. "We've got a triage set up near the western perimeter of the accident, with four ambulances on stand by, our head EMT is Daniel Wilder, all reports are being made to him. So far we're sending all the casualties over to County General in order of priority. Two people have been confirmed dead so far…with another five hurt, but we haven't made it into the main part of the accident scene."

"Captain Lyons?" Captain Reed spoke into the receiver of his dispatch radio. Static crackled back at him, then someone's voice blended in with the dancing static. "Come again, you were breaking up."

"Captain Lyons here, what's your status Reed?" came the reply.

"Not good. How many vehicles involved?" Captain Reed asked.

"More than we originally had thought." Came the reply over the crackling static.

"How many more?"

"A lot."

"Give me numbers." Captain Reed ordered.

"So far we've counted the three rigs and their haulers, eight passenger cars, three mid-sized trucks, one mini van, two jeeps and the stock car. But we haven't really made it into the main part of the accident, we don't know what those trailers and their rigs could be hiding-" sudden static and the sound of people yelling carried over the dispatch radio.

"It's rolling, it's rolling!" someone yelled.

"Clear the area! Get all unauthorized personal out of the area! Get those reporters back, hurry, hurry, hurry!" The yells carried on the air and Captain Reed and EMT Eck watched in silent horror as one of the large trailers suddenly lost its balance and tumbled, rolling right on top of the white jeep and the stock car lying next to it. The rig that had pulled it creaked, it's bearings snapping and releasing the trailer with a sickening thud. The large trailer had tipped, landing partially on the white jeep and the stock car sitting snuggly against it. The rig itself had snapped its rigging and bearings to the trailer and after flopping back down onto the roadway with a loud smash had coasted forward, smashing through the guardrails and plummeting down over the bank. In a loud and fiery crash, the rig reached the bottom and combusted into a large fiery ball of flames. Its driver never made it out.

People began screaming and yelling, running in all directions. "Come on!" Captain Reed yelled and grabbed hold of Sean by his collar and pulled him along behind him. "Once the dust settles I want people in there!" Captain Reed yelled into his receiver. "As soon as one of those wreckers gets here get it in there an get that trailer moved. I want to talk to the rest of the supervisors, we've got to start getting this mess cleaned up, and fast!"

"The trailer that just rolled still had its car inside, will the wrecker be able to handle that?" Someone asked from behind them. Captain Reed turned around to look at the speaker, it was the head EMT, Mr. Wilder.

"I sure as hell hope so!" he said and continued running in the direction of the fiasco that had just occurred. The two EMT's were close on his heels.

******

Kim groaned as she heard the creaking of metal over her head, slowly opening her eyes she glimpsed the titan just starting to roll toward her and Tommy. "Tommy!" she screamed and reached over for him. He grumbled something in his unconscious state of mind, but didn't wake up. "Tommy, wake up please!" Kim pleaded, trying to move, but she was wedged into the demolished vehicle. She watched as the huge titan rolled, smashing the roll bar of the tiny jeep. _I'm going to die, I'm really going to die this time! _She thought silently to herself. _Oh God Tommy, I had so much to tell you, so much still to explain. To have it end this way, like this…it just can't. We just can't die like this!_

The behemoth rolled even more, the creaking and splintering of metal growing loud in Kim's ears. She could feel blood trickling down over her face from a large gash just above her right eye. Blood mingled with the saliva in her mouth, but she wasn't sure if it was from a cute or internal damage…it was so difficult to breath… 

She heard a loud creak, then it sounded like something snapped and the trailer's weight came thundering down on them even more. Kimberly screamed, not caring if anyone could hear her or not. Her life suddenly began to flash before her eyes, each and every image had something to do with Tommy and she could swear that her heart was about to break yet again…it just couldn't end like this, they were so close, so very close.

She glanced back over at Tommy, if the trailer did come completely down on them she needed to get his head and upper body further down into the jeep so that he wouldn't be crushed from the weight of the trailer…if they even survived that is. She grabbed hold of his arm and began tugging, all the while hearing the creaking from the trailer telling her she didn't have much time.

The trailer and rig had snapped apart, she'd heard the fiery explosion just moments before, but had no idea what it was, nor did she really want to know. Her main concern right now was trying to help Tommy. She heard the metallic creaking coming from the trailer and new that something was still holding the titan up keeping it from crashing down on them completely, she didn't have much time and she knew it. Then their time of reprieve was gone.

The beast suddenly pivoted and rolled completely, coming down with enough force to partially crumple the small jeep. Kim tightly entwined her hand with Tommy's hoping that if they both did die there that day that he would know how much she still cared about him and always would. "I love you Tommy," she said quietly, the words gently leaving her bruised lips. As the large trailer settled into place once more, the air in Kim's lungs left her with a great whoosh and it suddenly felt as if her chest were on fire, then the blackness came once more to envelope her and her mind was once more lost to the reality of the situation.

********

"I want three of my guys in there along with two paramedics, just in case there are any survivors after that thing rolled…" the tone of Captain Reed's voice told exactly what he thought of the chance of someone living after that trailer had rolled. "Can we get someone down in that gully to see if the driver of that rig survived!?" Again the tone of his voice told what his opinion was of that notion.

He dreaded the idea of sending any people up and over the wreckage, anything could happen…but they didn't have a lot of time. Seconds if anything more. So many things could go wrong, but he needed to know if anyone had survived, he needed to know if there were still anyone in there to help.

"On it sir!" one of his firefighters yelled, moments later three of his guys started to scramble up and over the deadly wreckage that had claimed unknown lives so far. Two paramedics were close on their heels, daring the deadly situation below them to try anything. 

They clambered up and over scorched and burned cars, jumped across pieces of twisted metal that resembled absolutely nothing at all any more. Stopping at vehicles that still held people in them and quickly checking for any life signs, if they found none they continued in their wild quest to reach the center of the terrible accident.

A fire sprang up here or there and a vehicle collapsed in on itself, but those were only a few of the deterrents that the deadly carnage offered up. "Got something!" one of the firemen yelled as he approached one of the smoldering cars. The vehicle next to it still had a few live occupants…someone's dog, and the car's owner's baby twins. The parents had died, just like so many others that day. The mother was turned around in the seat, as if she was in her final moments checking on the precious lives of her children. Blood covered the back of her skull, what was left of it. The father sat slumped over the steering wheel, his chest had probably caved in after impacting against the steering wheel. The babies were listless and covered with blood, but none of it actually appeared to be their own. Their parents had died that fateful day, but the mother had died trying to save them…how many more would die before the end of this day?

In another car further in, a young couple was found huddled in the back of their decimated station wagon. The size of the car had been the only thing that had saved them, how they had time to get into the back of the car was a question in itself, but the paramedics and the firemen were just glad to find someone else alive in this chaotic mess.

Finally they reached ground zero for the accident, the white jeep was totaled, as well as the stock car sitting next to it, both vehicles had been done in by the weight of the over turning trailer…maybe if the huge beast hadn't overturned the occupants of the jeep would still be…

The sudden movement of the driver in the jeep, or what they could see of him beneath the trailer, threw everyone into motion. A helicopter was called in to help lift and move the trailer from its resting place, so that the occupants of the jeep could be freed. They waited for several minutes for the copter to arrive, in which time the wreckers had arrived. They needed the helicopter to lift the trailer up off of the jeep, not pull it off, so they had to wait for the copter to get there before they could do anything at all.

Once the copter finally got there, they had it attach a towing cable to the trailer and slowly lift it from the top of the jeep, trying not to jerk it or anything so it wouldn't cause any further damage to the jeep or its occupants. Once the trailer was safely off of the jeep one of the wreckers were then attached to pull the titan the rest of the way from the jeep.

Then the emergency crew flooded the jeep and the other cars within the center of the accident. Tommy and Kim were the last of the survivors to be removed from their crushed vehicles, but they also had to be cut from it, unlike most of the others. Tommy was loaded up into an ambulance with Kim shortly there after him, and they were both transported to County General at the same time. Tommy was semi-conscious but Kim was totally out of it. Miss and go for most of the ride to the hospital.

"We're loosing her…" one of the paramedics yelled.

"Get the defibulator." another of the EMT's yelled.

"60joule's." another one yelled. "On my mark. NOW!" Kim received a shock to her heart, it started beating momentarily, quite erratically then quit again.

"80joule's, NOW!" came the order again. Again her heart was shocked. Again it started to beat erratically before stopping once more.

"100joule's," came the order. Again her heart was shocked, this time it started to beat and continued to beat. "Third time's a charm." one of the EMT's said beneath their breath.

Tommy groaned and stirred, his head feeling like it had been ran over by a Mac truck…if only he knew. Slowly he opened his eyes, the harsh light of the ambulance wreaking havoc with his suddenly sensitive pupils. "What…?" he managed to get out before slipping into the black oblivion of the unconscious mind yet again.

"He's out again," one of the EMT's said as she attached the electric conduits to his chest to monitor his heartbeat. "His heart rate is pretty good, has anyone gotten his BP yet?"

"I'll get that. Did we get any information on this guy or his companion?" another paramedic asked.

Someone pulled a plastic bag from out of a locker. It contained Tommy's watch, his wallet and various other articles of his that had been removed from him once he had been brought into the ambulance. The EMT pulled the wallet from the bag and began flipping through it, looking for any form of ID. "Here we go. His name is Thomas J. Oliver. Local boy."

"What about her?" 

"Don't know, I haven't been able to find any identification on her yet, actually didn't find anything on her other than this expensive watch. Did she have a coat or anything?"

"Not on her when they got her out of that jeep…did anyone find a purse or anything?"

"I don't think so," another paramedic answered from the front of the ambulance. "I'll radio one of the fire trucks to see if they can find anything in the wreckage of the jeep."

*******

Tommy started to come too again, it was like trying to climb up steps that were shrouded in darkness. He couldn't see anything, then when he thought he couldn't go any further the darkness finally split and a ray of sunlight lit everything up all around him. He could hear voices speaking all around him, but they sounded distant, so very distant, like they were in another room or even a continent away.

Slowly he opened his eyes, the light above him was harsh and he tried to lift one of his arms to shield his eyes from the bright illumination, but he found he couldn't move it. He looked over to realize that someone was sitting next to him. _Kim? _He wondered, only belatedly did he realize he wasn't in his jeep anymore and that he was lying down now. _What in the hell happened? _His mind began sorting through the various images that were suddenly assaulting his memory.

The rig. The lock brackets suddenly coming loose, the car rolling down from its home within the trailer's belly…the large snow leopard painted on the front…_Beware the Leopard…_Vicky's voice suddenly echoed in his ears. Was that what she was warning him against?

It had to be, it just had to be. 

He looked back to the woman sitting next to him, her face was turned away from him, actually her whole body was facing away from him, toward the other side of the ambulance. "He's awake." he heard someone say from above his head. Tommy would've moved his head to look at the speaker but his neck was immobilized.

"Kim?" he managed to get out in a barely discernible whisper.

The woman turned around to look at him, a bright smile breaking across her face. "Well hello there, just a second while we check your vitals." she briskly moved from where she had been seated, that's when he got a good look at the other person in the ambulance with him. Kim.

"Kim?" his voice was just slightly stronger, the tone of worry in it apparent.

The EMT showed up in his field of vision again. "Is that her name?" she asked as she checked his blood pressure then checked his pulse. She ran a small flashlight across his line of vision and jotted something down quickly into a small notepad she held in one of her hands.

Tommy tried to nod his head, the effort awarded him a sharp pain jetting down his neck. "If you can speak that would be a lot safer right now than trying to move your head. We're not sure if you have any injuries to your neck or not."

"Yes."

"Can you tell me what your name is?"

"Tommy Oliver."

"Your age?"

"28"

"What state are you in?"

"Pain."

"Very funny. What state and city are you in?"

"Angel Grove, California."

"Very good. There doesn't seem to be any apparent brain damage or memory loss. But the doctors will make sure about that. What can you tell me about her? Her full name?"

"Kimberly Ann Hart. She's 27and a half."

"Ok…any relatives nearby?"

"No, she's staying with friends of ours…I can give you their number to get a hold of them if you like." Tommy closed his eyes as mind numbing pain washed over his body suddenly.

"Are you alright?" 

He didn't answer, he couldn't find his voice at that time. Just as suddenly as the pain had come it was gone, and just moments later he fell back into unconsciousness.

*******

The ambulance pulled up to the hospital's emergency room doors minutes later, the emergency room staff was there waiting to take the injured in. "The female is unresponsive. The male is in and out of consciousness, but he is usually pretty lucid when he is conscious." One of the paramedics said as they unloaded their two charges. Tommy groaned as his stretcher was lowered from the ambulance and moved through the emergency room's sliding glass doors.

"Female went into cardiac arrest three times enroute." someone said as they passed Kim off to the emergency room's staff.

"What are her vitals?"

"She's not very stable. BP is low, we couldn't even get an accurate read. Her heart rate drops down to 48 beats per minutes then speeds up to over 120 and her breathing is labored. Possible collapsed lung."

"Ok…I want him over in Exam Room 4, take her to Exam Room 5. I'll be there momentarily, I just want to take a quick look at him. Have OR on stand by, I think we may have to take her over there." The head ER doctor said as he followed Tommy into the room designated 4 by the tiny numeral 4 just above the sliding curtain.

"Ok, what have we got here people, where's his chart at?" the doctor asked as he moved along side Tommy.

"Right here," a nurse answered from behind him as she handed him the chart attached to a small clipboard.

"Ok…" he silently perused over the notes. Possible fracture to the left tibia. Concussion, possible. Pupils dilated. He ran his hand along Tommy's arm, pausing at a point just below his elbow. "I think he may have a compound fracture right here…order x-rays." He then turned his attention to the lower part of Tommy's leg. "And I want his left ankle checked out too. Let me know when the results are back." With that he left and moved over to the room that he'd had Kim placed in. 

Kim was still unresponsive, her eyes shut just like she was taking a nap. A nap she possibly may never wake up from again.

********

The ER was total pandemonium as Rocky, Isabel, Kat, Billy and Aisha walked in followed by Kristin. Doctors and nurses were running blindly from one exam stall to the next. Nurses were quickly passing stat sheets to each other while trying to jot down everything that the doctors were telling them. Orderlies were trying to find enough beds and wheel chairs for the amount of patients suddenly swamping the ER. Isabel went right up to the receptionist's desk, the girl was on a mission.

"Excuse me ma'am?" The receptionist looked up at her. "I'm looking for a few friends of mine. I was told they'd be here."

"We're kind of busy right now young lady." the receptionist said in a haughty tone. "If you'd just like to have a seat in the waiting room with everybody else, someone will be over to help you as soon as we have people freed up. There was a major accident you know."

"Yes I know there was a major accident, that's why we're here. But you don't seem to understand that, do you? Our friends were involved in that accident, and personally you don't look like you're to busy to help us so I suggest you do so before I decide to make a really huge scene right here and now!" Isabel said between clenched teeth.

The receptionist suddenly went as pale as a ghost. "Um alright. What were their names?"

"Thomas Oliver and Kimberly Hart."

The receptionist looked through a stack of papers in front of her, looking over the names until she came to the ones mentioned. "Ok, they were both brought in just five minutes ago. I don't have their complete results but I do know that Thomas is being kept over night for observations and they are getting ready to send Kimberly to an OR room." The receptionist looked up at the group, then her eyes slid over to the sliding doors as two more people walked in. "Thomas is over in Exam Room 4," She continued as she ignored those who had just come in, "right over there, but only family is allowed to visit right now." She said, even though she had pointed to a room right across from her desk. The two new people walked up to the group, some hugged while others just looked at each other, their eyes filled with tears.

Immediately Isabel ran over and gave Trini a huge hug, "They're taking her to the OR right now. They want to keep Tommy over night for observation." she whispered into Trini's ear. Trini's hold on the Aussie tightened until Isabel thought her flow of oxygen was going to be cute off. "Easy Trini. From what you have all told me about her, she's strong. She'll make it through this."

"I have to hope so," Trini said just as Tommy was wheeled out of the exam room they had put him in. His eyes met those of his friends. "Tommy!" Trini said and let go of Isabel, just starting her way over to him as the curtain next his room opened up and Kim was brought out on a stretcher. 

She was hooked up to so many machines, she looked lost amongst all the wires and gadgetry. A gasp of dismay escaped from Trini's lips as she looked at the bruised and battered body of one of her best friends. Isabel walked up behind the traumatized Vietnamese woman and gently laid a comforting hand on her shoulder just as Jason walked up to her and took her into his arms.

Rocky walked up behind Isabel, he didn't touch her but she knew he was there. She leaned back just a bit so that her back rested against his chest. His arms came up around her and pulled her more completely against him, his chin resting in her hair. She drew in a shaky breath and released it just as the machines hooked up to Kim all started to beep at the same time.

It wasn't the short intermittent beeps they had been emitting earlier, but a long drawn out one that made everyone in the room hold their breath. "Code Red!" a nurse yelled out as she ran around the side of the gurney to get a better look at the readings the machines were giving. "She's flat lined!"

"Out of the way, come on people, move!" A doctor said as he quickly moved in to access the situation. He quickly checked her pulse, the bleak look on his face telling everyone the worse. "100 joules, NOW!!" he ordered as one of the nurses suddenly ran in with the defibulator machine.

Everyone moved out of the way, allowing the doctor and the nurse into administer the shock to Kim's heart. Her young body lurched with the force of the electrical shock…a heart beat showed on one of the support machines for a short period of time then flat lined again. "120 joules on my mark." Everyone cleared back again. The ex-Rangers and their friends watched in dismay as the doctor and nurse fought for their friend's life. "NOW!" The electrical buzz filled the room again and Kim's body jumped from it again. This time the heart beat didn't show up.

"160 NOW!" the doctor yelled, determined that the young woman wasn't going to die on his shift. The shock was administered again, her body jumped from the force but her heart didn't start to beat again. The doctor looked up at the nurse. "Mark time of death as," he looked up at the clock. "11:48 am." His eyes briefly made contact with the group of friends who looked at him with horror on their faces then he looked away, the trauma of the ordeal evident on his face.

"She's…?" Isabel said, she couldn't get the whole sentence out.

"She can't be, she just can't…" Kat said, her hands came up to her face in an attempt to stifle the sobs that were threatening to erupt from her throat.

"Kim…?" Trini's voice was soft with unshed tears. Her dark eyes swam as she turned around to bury her face in her husband's chest. "It can't be…God please tell me this isn't happening!" she cried as she clung to Jason.

"Kim?" they heard Tommy's voice ever so quietly ask, as if fearing that the worse was true…even though the worse had already happened. He tried to get up from the wheelchair they had put him in, but a nurse held him back.

"You shouldn't be trying to walk on that foot Mr. Oliver," the nurse said in a clipped tone.

"I don't damn well care!" he hollered at her. "Let me out of this damn chair right now!" the nurse didn't argue with him any further when he tried to get out of the chair once more. He hobbled his way over to Kim's prone body, placing one of his hands gently against her face. "Kim?" he said softly. "God, you can't leave me, not now."

She didn't respond and he could actually feel her skin cooling beneath his touch. "Kim." A tear silently made its way down his face and splashed against her closed eyelids. She still didn't move. "Kim," he said, his voice sounding hollow, even to his own ears. "Kim, love, you can't leave me. I still need you Beautiful, you have to come back to me!" he cried as he collapsed on top of her lifeless body.

********

The light was bright before her eyes. "It's not your time Kimberly." A voice said from the distance. Two shadows formed within the halo of the brilliant light. As she grew nearer to them she came to discover she recognized the both of them.

"Vicky, Isabel…what are you doing here?"

"Hello Kim," Vicky said as she reached out a hand to take one of Kim's in hers. 

Kim's eyes wondered over to Isabel and she belatedly realized that though the girl looked an awful a lot like Isabel, she wasn't. "Who are you?"

"My name is Brenda Bryant. I'm Isabel's twin sister." Kim's eyes grew wide at this bit of news. She'd never knew that Isabel had a twin, no one had mentioned it to her.

"I don't have much time to explain, please tell her something for me, will you?" Brenda asked as she stepped up to stand next to Vicky and Kim.

Kim nodded her head.

"Tell her that I love her and miss her and that everything is going to be fine. Tell her when the call comes she must go, but she can't go alone, tell her to take Rocky with her. Please remember to tell her that, will you?"

Kimberly silently nodded. "Just how much do you know about us?"

"I've been watching over Iz ever since my death…if she wants to tell you any more about what happened that will be her choice. It's not mine to make."

Kim smiled as the two turned around and walked back toward the bright light. Kim shook her head and slowly started to follow then. "Kim, love, you can't leave me. I still need you Beautiful, you have to come back to me!" She heard his voice just as clear as if he were there with her. She turned back around and looked back the way she had come, the way was dark. Gray mists swirled around like sinister monsters waiting for her to try and return to the land of the living, as if daring her to try.


	7. Resurrection

Disclaimer : I own nothing more than the story plot and the story idea…and any characters that you might not recognize from the Power Rangers Universe would be mine also.

A/N : This chapter is going to be the prelude for the spin off based on Rocky and Isabel…a lot of questions are going to be raised in this chapter and you, the reader, are going to be wondering even more about what the secrets are that Isabel is hiding from the gang as well as what exactly happened to Brenda and why Iz blames herself for her sister's death. There will be a lot of unanswered questions in this chapter that will be answered in the spin off, which will be titled 'Dark Shadows…Hidden Light.' Review as always…I thrive on reviews! Thanks.

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID

PART II

Chapter 7 : Resurrection

Thunder rumbled in the distance, the ground shaking gently beneath their feet. It did not deter them from their coarse. Lightning flashed through the gray swirling mists, momentarily brightening the deepening depths with its electrical fire. Then all was dark again save for the beautifully illuminating light radiating from the distance. They continued to walk toward it, unsure if the young woman was following them or not.

__

She is not meant to be here, the one thought-spoke to the other.

__

It will ultimately be her own decision if she stays or goes back. We are not permitted to make it for her, you know that. The other though-spoke back. _The decision lies in her own hands._

__

I know…but it is not her time. 

That is not up to us. We are only here to guide her, no more… no less. The decision lies in her own hands. Only she can decide if she wants to stay or go back.

I know, but still…

There are no buts…

Yes, but-

The other turned to look at her companion. _We cannot interfere. We will **not** interfere. Our role here is to help her, nothing more. In the end, the decision will be up to her…only she can chose what path her destiny will follow._

They were two ethereal creatures. They had no physical form, at least not one that could be described by man's eyes or his language. Simply put, they were muted light, sparkling from an inner power source. They were bright light and dim light all at once with a mosaic of sparkling colors intermixed, like light refracting from a prism. Yet, they were so much more.

If they had still retained their human forms, the one would have looked almost exactly like Isabel, the other like a friend Kim hadn't seen in almost exactly ten years. Their human forms had shimmered and dissolved as soon as they had started to walk toward the blindingly bright light.

But-

There are no buts, remember that. We are not permitted to interfere.

You interfered once. 

__

Yes, and I paid dearly for it too. My sister still pays the price for my mistake. She will never have an honest relationship until she can overcome that part of her life.

But you told Kim-

I know what I told Kim!

Then…there was a momentary pause, _did you lie?_

There came a sound like an exasperated sigh, _We are not here to talk about Isabel and myself. We are here to help Kim. She is our focal point now, nothing else._

All right. The thought came out almost like a muted sigh.

Good, now that we have that clear, let us go. We have much to do…

_______________________________________________________________

Come back to me Beautiful! The words echoed all around her, even through her. _It's not your time Kimberly, _she could still hear either Vicky or Brenda's words echoing around too. "If it's not my time then what am I doing here?" she cried out in despair. "_Why am I here?_" Her head thrown back, her arms raised to the sky, as if beseeching anyone to attempt to answer her questions for her. The thunder rumbled once more and lightning streaked across the sky in all its electrical intensity, as if in answer to her spoken challenge.

"You are here to make a choice." Isabel's voice, but yet there was a different tone to it. The Australian accent was gone, as if it had never been there.

She whirled around, looking for the speaker. She saw no one at first, then the dark mists parted and two glowing beings stepped forward, toward her. They were like stars that had suddenly taken human form, or something there near of. "What the…?" the question was not fully spoken and it hung in the air not fully formed.

The taller star-being raised what could only be described as its arm, as if forestalling any further sounds from the confused woman. The sparkling light coalesced and fused into the human form of Brenda once more. The other star humanoid shimmered brightly before becoming Victoria. "Now, you were saying?" Brenda asked as she turned her sparkling blue eyes toward Kim. Her eyes seemed to sparkle so brightly that they glowed.

__

We frightened her, Vicky thought-spoke to Brenda. _She is not use to seeing me in this form since I departed from the life she knew me in._

It does not matter…her choice will be made soon.

But still-

Enough with the buts, there will be no more. We will do our job here and then return home…with or without her. "Sit." Brenda instructed as she motioned to a chair that had not been there just a second before.

Kim listened and sat down on it. "What are you?" she asked, still looking in amazement at the two of them. She recognized the both of them…or at least who they looked like.

"Kim, it's me, Victoria." Vicky said as she and Brenda took seats opposite of Kim.

"But you're dead…" Kim's voice trailed off. "So am I."

"Not entirely. You have the choice right now to live or not. It is up to you, no one else can make that decision for you." Brenda said.

Kim regarded her for a fraction of a second. "And just who are you really?" She asked, "I know you said that you're Isabel's twin sister and all, but no one ever said anything to me about her having a twin."

"You've just recently met her." Brenda responded. "There are a lot of things that you don't know about Isabel and there are lot of things about you that Isabel doesn't know, even though she has heard all the stories that have been told of you and the original Rangers."

"You know…about us?"

"Yes," came the answer. "There is not much that we do not know up there," she answered as she pointed her hand toward the brightly shining portal in the distance. "As for me and Isabel, yes I am her twin sister. I was kidnapped when we were three years old, maybe just a bit younger, and died soon thereafter-"

"Then why do you look as old as she is now?" Kim asked. 

"I chose to look this way." Brenda responded. "I will tell you no more of myself or Isabel, if she wants you to know, you will have to ask her yourself. She can tell you." Brenda said. "All I can tell you is that she blames herself for my death, please tell her it wasn't her fault. I don't blame her so she shouldn't blame herself either."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why does she blame herself for you death?"

"If she wants you to know she will have to tell you herself."

"Oh."

"Now, you have an important decision to make." Brenda said, as she looked first at Vicky than over to Kim. "Will you go with us, pass over to a better place? Or will you return to a world where you are loved, where people still need you."

"I want to…" she turned to look at Vicky, their eyes clashing momentarily then looking way. Her gaze came to rest on Brenda, her likeness to Isabel was uncanny. "How close were you and Isabel?" she had to stall, anyhow possible, and maybe if she could find out some more about Isabel and Brenda she could figure out what this weird feeling was she was suddenly getting.

Brenda's eyes widened then narrowed as she looked intently at the petite gymnast. "Our relationship with each other is unimportant right now, your decision is. You must make your choice, and quickly. The longer you are away from your body the harder it will be for you to return if you chose too. There will be consequences to face if you hesitate to long."

"What-fer consequences?" Kimberly asked. Vicky suddenly found the uneven, drab ground to be extremely interesting, she refused to meet Kim's eyes. Kim directed her gaze instead then to Brenda. "What are the consequences?" she repeated.

"You do not want to know." Brenda answered. "Wait to long and you will find out…and the consequences are not easily dealt with when they come to find you."

"When they…" there was an audible sound of a gulp, "come to find you?"

"Yes, if you wait to long to return to your body, the consequences will come to find you. You will have to deal with them…if you succeed, you live. If you do not…you…" her voice trailed off, the hint of what would happen hung heavily in the air.

"The decision is yours Kimberly." Vicky finally spoke up.

__

Beautiful, you can't leave me, you have to come back. His voice echoed through the mists.

__

Tommy…always there would be Tommy. If there was no other reason to return, he should be enough. Kim turned her dark eyes to regard Vicky. Their eyes met and Vicky could read the answer there in the chocolate brown depths of Kim's eyes.

"You have made a choice?" Brenda asked.

"Yes, I have."

"Good, what is it?"

____________________________________________________

"Excuse me sir?" the nurse said as she tried once again to unsuccessfully dislodge the extremely upset young man from the lifeless body of the latest victim of the tragedy that day. "Excuse me sir?" her voice was just a bit more forceful.

Tommy raised tear redden eyes to regard the woman dispassionately. "What?" he asked, his voice hoarse from the tears.

"I need to take her down to the morgue." the nurse said, her voice just as dispassionate as what Tommy's had been.

"No you won't!" Tommy said, his voice suddenly was as cold as ice. "You're just gonna leave her alone!" 

"I can't just leave a body sitting up here out in the open like this. It's unsanitary." The nurse said quite huffily.

"You are not taking her anywhere!" Tommy growled, his voice sounding ragged.

The nurse stared down her nose at him, her eyes narrowing in either anger or disgust. "I must move the body down to the morgue to free up more space here in the emergency room." she said slowly and succinctly.

"I don't care!" Tommy roared as he suddenly shot to his feet, even despite his injuries.

"Come any closer and I'll be forced to call security to escort you out of here." the nurse said as she backed away from him in sudden fear.

"Now just wait a second!" Kat said as she approached the nurse. "You don't need to do that."

"Yeah, he's just upset." Isabel said as she came up behind Kat. "He just lost a very good friend of his he hasn't seen in quite a while. Surely you can understand and cut him some slack." Her Australian accent was more defined and thicker than what Kat's was.

"I…I guess, but one of you needs to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." the nurse's eyes regarded both Isabel and Kat coldly. "Or I'll have you all thrown out of here!"

"Wouldn't be such a good idea unless you want a really big lawsuit on your hands," Isabel said quietly to the nurse.

The nurse's eyes glared daggers at Isabel, "And just what do you mean by that? Is that a threat? I could have you thrown out of here on that alone if it was a threat!"

Isabel's lips were graced with a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "It wasn't meant as a threat, I'm just saying that if you try to throw him out of here when he's been ordered to stay the night for observations you could get yourself into a lot of trouble…not to mention the trouble you would get the hospital into. Think about it…do you really want to risk it?"

"Fine…but you had better not cause any trouble, you understand me?" the nurse tossed back as she stalked off down a corridor.

"Tommy?" Trini asked from his side. She looked worriedly up at Jason.

"Beautiful, you can't leave me, you have to come back!" Tommy whispered to the still body. He gently swept a few stray strands of hair from her face, the whole time never taking his eyes from her increasingly pale face. Her skin color was growing paler by the second.

"Tommy?" this time Kat tried. 

"Come on Kim, you have to come back. Those doctors don't know what they're talking about it! You can't be dead." The tears were silently slipping from the corners of his eyes and falling gently onto her face. He never noticed.

"Tommy, maybe we should take you to your room." Jason said from beside him.

"I can't leave her," Tommy answered despondently. "What if she should wake up and I'm not here?"

"Tommy, she's dead. She's not going to wake up." Trini said quietly.

"No, don't say such things. She can't be…I mean look at her, really look at her. You have to be able to feel it and see it, there is still some life there, in there somewhere. There is still a chance." His voice was rough with grief.

"Tommy," Kat this time, she put a hand on his shoulder in comfort. "As much as it pains me to say this, Kim is dead. There is no chance of her waking up or coming back. The doctors have declared her legally dead."

"What about all the miracles we've seen…all the miracles we've seen on TV and other places. There is always the chance." he was grasping at straws and they all knew it.

"Death is something else entirely different Tommy. Kim is gone." Isabel said quietly.

"How would you know?" Tommy cried furiously, his gaze leveling on the single person there that had never been a ranger, who couldn't comprehend how he was feeling. "How would you know, you've never lost anyone. You can't even begin to understand what I'm going through."

Both Isabel and Kat suddenly became as pale as ghosts. Isabel stifled a sob and bolted, Kat rounded on Tommy. "How could you be so inconsiderate?!" she screamed.

Tommy was taken aback, not sure of what had happened. "I'm sorry…" he stammered just as the body beneath him groaned in pain. His look of reproach was immediately replaced by one of shock. "Kim?" he breathed, afraid the slightest sound might suddenly pop the bubble of reality.

_______________________________________________________

Isabel turned horrified eyes toward Tommy, she heard Kat gasp at the same time she did. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and before the rest of the group could see then she turn and fled. She bumped into Rocky before she made it very far in her blind dash for safety.

"Hey," he said quietly just as they heard a gasp from the rest of the group. He looked first at her and her tear filled eyes then looked over to where Tommy was trying to lift himself up off of the stretcher.

"Can we get a doctor over here?!" Trini yelled out in barely controlled glee. A huge smile broke across her beautiful face. Rocky could just make out Kim attempting to sit back up. A definite miracle.

He felt as Isabel tried to break his grip on her arms and he returned his attention back to the wounded bird within his arms. "What's wrong Iz?" he asked, his voice soft and low.

She glared up at him, but he could read her heart in her eyes. Her heart was crushed and wounded. What exactly had Tommy said to her to upset her so much? Surely his outburst about loosing someone to death couldn't have upset her that much…unless…

"Isabel?" he questioned slightly.

Her eyes darted around, as if she were looking for the easiest route of escape. "Nothing," she said below her breath. "Just leave me go, would you?" she asked, her voice frozen like ice.

"Look, Kim's alright." He said, trying to put a smile back on her face. It didn't work.

"I see…" she said quietly.

"Is that all you have to say?" he asked.

"What more do you want me to say?" she asked as the tears leaked from beneath her lowered eyelids. She bowed her head; he would not see her cry. No one would see her cry, she had dealt with that part of her life and she had moved on. 

He placed a finger beneath her chin and forced her eyes up to meet his, what he read there disturbed him. The pain and confusion, the hurt and guilt…it was all there in her sparkling blue eyes, the tears streaming down her cheeks unchecked. In the four years he had known her he had never truly seen her cry and it was unsettling. 

She was always so strong and confident, now she looked like a little lost child who had lost her best friend or something so much more. "What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing!" she cried and once more tried to break the grip he had on her arms. He let her go and watched as she bolted from the hospital.

_________________________________________________________

Kim groaned in pain as she sucked in a large amount of air, her lungs felt like they were on fire. "Can we get a doctor over here?!" she heard Trini yell, the joy apparent in her voice. Her head throbbed, it felt like she had been ran over by a large Semi. She could almost hear the large truck barreling down on her, then belatedly realized that the sound was the heavy footsteps of a doctor as the man shined a bright light into her eyes.

She batted his hand away along with the offensive tiny flashlight. "Do you mind?" she asked just a bit angrily.

The doctor did not move away. "I just don't get it," everyone heard him murmur. "You were dead, how is this possible?"

"A miracle." Tommy said quietly.

The doctor just looked at him, as if he didn't believe the young man…or the notion of miracles.

Kim's eyes sought out Tommy's and they locked. _I came back for you, _hers seemed to say. He nodded his head, as if he understood the silent message he read in them. Then she looked away and gazed over the assembled group, the tears of joy and the laughter. 

She met Trini's eyes. _Welcome back Kim, _Trini's eyes seemed to say. Kim smiled at her oldest and best friend. Then she locked eyes with Jason. _Good to see you, _his eyes read. Then came Billy and Aisha, tears coursed down Aisha's cheeks, but she did nothing to wipe them away. They smiled at each other. Then her eyes met Kat's, the other woman smiled at her, the smile reaching her expressive blue eyes. _Welcome home, _they read. Kim smiled back at Kat. Zack was even there…as she looked around, she realized that all of her friends were there. Rocky stood in the back, his eyes kept darting toward the exit, as if he were watching for someone. Tanya and Adam stood off to the side, tears misted Adam's eyes but he refused to allow them to fall. She spied Kristin standing in the background, trying to be unobtrusive…_When did she get here? _Kim wondered as her eyes locked with her friend's, they smiled at one another, then Kim allowed her gaze to wonder around some more.

Tommy stood there, right next to her. He refused to leave her side, even when the doctor had asked him to move. 

But one person was missing.

__

Tell her that I love her and miss her and that everything is going to be fine. Tell her when the call comes she must go, but she can't go alone, tell her to take Rocky with her. Please remember to tell her that, will you? The question floated to the surface, Brenda's voice serious and grave. 

"Where is Isabel?" she asked.

Tommy's face immediately fell and Kat stifled a soft gasp. _Did something happen?_

"What?" she asked, suddenly fearing the worse. _But surely if something had happened to Isabel Brenda wouldn't have asked me to deliver that message to her…would she? _Kim wondered.

"Tommy upset her…" Kat said quietly.

Kim's eyes immediately sought out Tommy's. "What? How?" she asked.

"I accused her of not knowing what I was going through when the doctors were saying you were dead…she ran out of here after that." Tommy said very quietly.

Kim's eyes widened as she fought with herself to accept this new bit of news…_Lay dead for just a couple of minutes and everyone around you looses their heads… _"Oh Tommy, how could you?" Kim asked quietly.

"What?" Tommy asked as he looked down at Kim where she lay, the doctor still poking and prodding her. "We know so very little about her, only what she allows us to know…and Kat won't tell us much more. How was I suppose to know that she had lost someone? She never told us." Tommy said. "Besides which, you just recently met her…" his gaze lingered on her momentarily as a thought occurred to him. "How…how would you know if she lost someone or not?" he dreaded to hear the answer…actually he was scared to hear her answer.

"I met her twin sister Brenda." Kim answered.

Everyone's eyes opened wide in surprise, only Kat gave a different response to Kim's news.

"Then…then Brenda is really dead?" Kat asked, her voice just above a mere whisper. They had always suspected, but no body had ever been found…the news would devastate Isabel once she learned the truth about what had happened to her sister.

__

Ok, I'm sorry for the shear awkwardness of this chapter…but I had to give myself a lead up for the spin off. Many of you may not believe in ghosts and Angels and such, I do, as you can tell. I've had the fortunate opportunity to see them (ghosts)…although it was indeed very scary and a blessing as I would come to learn in later years. I hope you liked this chapter…and in case you are wondering, the death of Brenda is not the secret that Isabel is keeping. Her secret is much more darker and it eats at her each and every day. A lot of what ifs and what could have beens run through her mind regularly. You will find out how Brenda interfered in the spin off and what her interference was and how Isabel is forced to pay for that interference. Hope you enjoyed and please as always review!! Thanks greatly and I appreciate it, even if I don't say it.

For those of you who do review, you know that I send out an e-mail when the latest chapter has been posted, if you would like to receive such an e-mail just leave you e-mail address if you don't do a sighed in review and I'll let you know when the next chapter is up. Thanks! That was a good idea ScarletDeva…thank you.


	8. The Unraveling

Author : Wild-Melody

A/N : This was suppose to be the first chapter to 'Dark Shadows…Hidden Light', but after looking over the way that the 'The Hardest Thing' series was going, I decided that I had better re-edit a few things and intergrate the few chapters for the other story into this one. Hope you like the changes and I hope things aren't to weird. It's pretty bad when you have even yourself confused and it's your own story.

Read and review as always. Thanks!!

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID

PART II

Chapter 8 : The Unraveling

Rocky stayed in the back of the group, watching as everyone hugged Kim. He longed to go to her too, but he was also watching for Isabel. He didn't quite understand what had happened to Kim, what she had experienced, but he now understood that Isabel had had a twin sister and something terrible had happened to her.

The sliding glass doors into the emergency room slid opened and he felt more than heard someone walk up beside him. He turned to look at Isabel. Though her eyes were clear, they were also slightly puffy and red. "You all right?" He asked her.

She nodded her head at him then walked up to the group surrounding Kim. Kim looked up at her, the sadness evident in her brown eyes. "I'm…" Kim started, but Isabel interrupted her.

"We haven't known each other long, what? A few hours maybe? I'm sorry about what happened to you, I'm also glad that you're going to be all right."

"I'm sorry about your sister," Kim said quietly.

What else might have been said was cut off as one of the ER doctors came over and broke the group up. "We need to get Miss Hart to the OR. We'll notify you immediately as soon as she comes out. If you just want to have a seat in the waiting room…?" The doctor said and motioned with the clipboard in his hand toward the waiting room. "It'll be a few hours a least, so you may want to run down to the cafeteria and grab something to eat. You may have a long wait ahead of you."

There were a chorus of "All rights," and "Ok's" as the group began to split up. Tommy helped Kim lie back on the uncomfortable stretcher and kissed her gently on the forehead. "I'll be right here when you get out." He said softly into her ear.

"Thank you," she said softly back to him.

After the doctor had wheeled the stretcher away, everyone looked at everyone else, unsure really of what to do. "I'm hungry," Rocky said. "Anyone feel like heading to the cafeteria like suggested by the head man on campus?"

"Don't that just figure?" Aisha said as she poked Rocky in his ribs. "Even after this tragedy you can still think about food."

"I'm actually kind of hungry too," Adam spoke up. Tanya just looked at him. "What?" he asked as he met her gaze.

"Nothing," she responded.

"I'd…I'd actually like to…go home for a bit." Isabel said shyly. "If you don't mind. Someone can give me a call when she comes out of surgery."

"I'll let you know," Trini said.

"Thank you," Iz said.

"Need a ride home?" Rocky asked.

Isabel gazed up at him, "I can call a taxi if you want to stay here."

"I can take you home," Rocky said, and it was final. She could tell by the look in his eye. She just nodded her head and followed him out of the emergency room and out into the parking lot. 

****************

Isabel Bryant had tried to forget about the tragedy that had occurred when she was three, she had tried to forget about it for most of her life. Then suddenly, with the devastating quickness of a flashflood, the old memories and wounds were stirred up again and she was forced to deal with a past she had rather have left forgotten. She stared blankly out the window of her small apartment, Rocky sat next to her. He for once in his life remained quiet and allowed the young Australian woman free reign on her own thoughts.

She sighed and turned to look at him, "You wanna talk about it?" He asked as he gently pulled her into his embrace. He rested his chin against her hair and drew in a deep breath as he heard her sigh wearily to herself once more. "Might help," he coaxed.

"I-I just don't know if I'm up to it yet," she replied quietly. 

He gently kissed her forehead. "Whenever you decide your ready, I'm right here," he said just a quietly. He wasn't accustomed to acting this way, least of all with her. He'd never seen her so broken before, the life was gone from her normally bright blue eyes, instead they were lackluster and so very dull. He tightened his embrace on her and pulled her more comfortably against him.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Anytime Milady," he tried to joke, she just looked up at him and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to see you smile…it was a lame joke."

She kissed him ever so gently on the lips. It was a brief kiss, but it was full of promise and what was to come. Then she smiled up at him, actually smiled so that it really did reach her eyes. "I know you're all worried about me…I'll be fine. Don't worry, it was just the shock of what Kim said about my sister…" she paused as she tried to regain her composure. Rocky kept quiet and listened intently. "I had always known she had died…on some level I felt it myself, I'd felt her death as if it had been on my own. I was so young then that I didn't understand what it was I was feeling…" the tears ran unchecked down her cheeks again. "If I hadn't been so stubborn…so damn bull-headed, it would've never happened and she'd still be here!"

"That's not true, you heard what Kim said. Brenda doesn't blame you so neither should you." Rocky interrupted.

"Do you really want to know what happened Rocky? Do you really want to know why it is that I blame myself for my twin sister's death?" Isabel asked, venom suddenly heavily in her voice. It wasn't directed at him though, it was directed at herself, all the anger and despair she had felt over the years for something she had convinced herself she could have stopped, somehow…anyhow.

Rocky just looked down at her, unsure if he should really answer the question or not. He just mutely nodded his head.

Isabel settled back into his embrace, "It's along story, are you sure you want to hear it?" she asked.

"Yes," came his instant reply. Maybe once he understood what had happened all those years ago he would finally understand this young woman's heart and the reason she kept pushing him away…yet at the same time she pulled him closer. It was almost like she was afraid to love someone again, like she was afraid to loose them again. He'd never let that happen…at least not by choice.

"Alright…" she said softly as her voice grew heavy with regret and her eyes became misty. "My sister and I were very close…"

{Flashback…Australia, 23 years before}

Brenda and Isabel Bryant were inseparable, where you found one, the other was not far behind. They were like most twins, thinking alike and talking alike but hated to be told they were exactly alike. They were after all, two completely different individuals, and they would let you know it. Isabel was the leader, the mastermind. It was always her way or no way at all. She did not like being second best, not at anything. She was often coming up with new ideas and subsequently always getting her twin into all sorts of trouble.

They each took it in stride though. Brenda was the quiet and reserved twin. She rather be led more than anything, but she loved her twin dearly, faults and all. Isabel was constantly finding new ways to get into trouble and Brenda was always there to back her up on the new ideas.

And it would be with one of these ideas that the two sisters would run into trouble like they had never faced before…

Debra Bryant kissed her twin daughters goodnight and turned the light off as she walked from their room. "G'Night my dears," she said quietly as she shut the door. Neither little girl stirred so Debra figured both toddlers were sound asleep…she could only wish that that were the case.

The minutes ticked by, but still neither child moved…until finally Isabel crawled from her bed and silently crept toward their bedroom door. Gently she eased it opened and glanced out into the darkened hallway of their house. Lights flickered at the other end of the hallway, where their parents were now watching a movie thinking that both of their young daughters were sound asleep.

"S'okay?" Brenda asked as she stepped up next to her sister.

Isabel quickly placed a hand over her sister's mouth. "Shh!" she shushed by putting her index finger over her own lips. "Wake Donny up." She peaked her head out the doorway again and looked at the door that was almost directly across from theirs. Their big brother Donny's room.

"Bad idea." Brenda said in a quiet voice as she too tried to peak out of the doorway but Isabel was in her way. "Move Izzy!" She cried quietly and tried to push her sister out of the way.

"Shh!" Isabel said again and quickly ducked back into the room. Gently she shut the door, making certain it wouldn't click shut so as to not alert anyone that the youngest members of the household were awake. They heard the door across the hallway open, but it didn't shut. They could hear their brother's footsteps as he sleepily walked over to the bathroom. Moments later they heard him again as he returned to his room and shut the door behind him.

Brenda grabbed for the door handle. Isabel's tiny hand shot out and grabbed her sister's quickly. "Uh-uh," she said quietly. "Don't know if he sleepy yet," she clarified once she caught the perplexed look on her sister's face.

"Oh, kay." Brenda said and smiled at her sister in understanding. "Hope he hurry and go sleepy. I bored."

"Me too. Play hide-n-go seek in the dark be fun…to bad Katty can't come over." Isabel said plaintively. They had tried earlier to get their parents to invite Kat over but her parents wanted her stay home…something about children missing further up the road. Isabel shrugged her shoulders. "I wonder what those other kids are missing." she said as she looked first at the door then over at her twin.

"Dunno, Mommy just said they missing." Brenda said.

"Maybe they lost some of their toys." Isabel said finally after debating the subject over in her mind. "We bring all our toys in?"

"Think so," Brenda said. "We find out when we go out, right?"

"Yeah." Isabel answered and both girls nodded their heads in agreement. The moments ticked by agonizingly slow for the young toddlers as they waited to make sure that their older brother was indeed a sleep again. After a few more moments of hesitation Isabel once again placed her tiny hand on the door handle and opened the door a fraction of an inch. She heard no sound so she opened it further and stuck her head out to look once again up and down the darkened hallway. Donny's door was tightly shut and their parents were still in the living room watching the television. "Coast clear," Isabel said and nodded to her sister to follow her out.

They snuck down the hallway, making sure that they kept their small bodies concealed in the darkness. The twins were indeed too bright sometimes for their own good. Isabel suddenly stopped and Brenda ran right into her back. "Wh-" Brenda began only to have Isabel place a hand quickly across her mouth.

She motioned for her sister to keep quiet and pointed to where their parents were sitting in the living room. Brenda nodded her head in understanding. They were just a few feet from the entrance into the kitchen, but all it would take was for their parents to look in their direction and it would all be over. Isabel began to inch forward, slowly as she kept her eyes glued to their parents. Brenda quietly followed her. They both knew if they got caught they'd be in a world of trouble. Maybe that was the driving force behind their little excursion, the fact that they could possibly get away with it.

Isabel reached the doorway and swiftly scrambled into the relative safety of the kitchen. Brenda wasn't far behind her. "Ready?" Isabel asked quietly.

Brenda nodded her head. The twins darted for the kitchen door. Isabel tried to quietly open the door, but it squeaked as she opened it. She froze and turned her petrified gaze toward the doorway into the living room, waiting to see one of her parents show up there. The noise from the television must have blanketed the squeak of the door for neither their mother nor father appeared at the doorway. Isabel sighed a breath of relief and opened the door the rest of the way. She and Brenda crept out of the house and into the stillness of the night.

Their yard was a large one, at least and acre and half. They had no dogs, but their parents raised horses. The barn was located further back into the darkness, beyond the hazy glow created from the lights within the house. That was the twin's first destination.

Isabel led, as always. Brenda was close on her heels, as always. "We gonna go and see the horsies?" Brenda asked.

"Yeah, see if we left any of our toys out there." Isabel answered as she glanced back to look at her sister. "So they don't go missing."

Brenda nodded her head. "Good 'dea." she said as if it was the most apparent thing in the world.

One of the horses neighed as it heard their approach. "Nightwing?" Brenda asked.

"Um, don't think so, think it was Blue Moon." Isabel answered.

The horse whinnied again, then was joined in by a second one. "Think that was Nightwing." Isabel said as they neared the door into the barn. Isabel slowed her pace and looked at the foreboding barn looming before them. Suddenly she didn't feel so very brave. It looked dark and scary and she wasn't so certain she wanted to go in there anymore. "I think daddy locked the door," Isabel said even before she had tried it.

"He never lock it before," Brenda said as they came to stop just outside of the imposing door.

"Um…" Isabel's young mind was churning for a reason not to go into the large, dark structure. Another whinny came from inside, as if the horses were telling them to come in. "Horizon?" Isabel asked as she turned around to look at her sister.

"Think so," Brenda replied and wearily eyed the door, she wouldn't argue with her sister if she decided not to go in there.

"Wanna go play?" Isabel asked, anything to divert her sister from their original target.

"Yeah…sand box?"

"Nah…mommy says the kitties use it as litter box," Isabel said.

"Oh…how 'bout swing set?"

"Not allowed without mommy or daddy."

"Hide-n-seek?"

"'Kay." Isabel said and both girls darted quickly away from the dark barn. The horses neighed dejectedly, as if they had truly wanted the little girls to come in and play.

Isabel raced across the starlit yard, giggling as she turned around to look at her sister. She quickly out distanced her sister and stopped to allow Brenda to catch up with her. "Thought was gonna play hide-n-seek." Brenda complained once she had caught up with Isabel.

"How 'bout tag?" Isabel asked and proceeded to run from her sister once more. "You it!" she called and giggled once more as she watched her sister try and catch her.

Brenda ran after Isabel, who kept darting and dodging, ever eluding her. "No fair!" she cried as Isabel slowly came to a stop a few feet away from her. "You said Hide-n-seek!"

"You no fun," Isabel pouted. "You no wanna play 'cause you never catch me."

"That 'cause you run to fast," Brenda said as she edged closer to her sister. Once she was within arms length of Isabel she made a mad dash to try and catch her sister but Isabel only giggled and sprinted in the opposite direction. "No fair!" Brenda cried out.

"Is to fair!" Isabel called back all the while giggling. "You just not fast 'nough to catch me."

"You slow down," Brenda ordered.

"No," Isabel said as she stopped and watched her twin once more try and catch her. Once again she jumped and sprinted in the complete opposite direction her sister was lunging for her from. She heard a thump as Brenda hit the ground and lay there not moving. "You kay?" she asked as she turned a worried eye toward her sister.

Brenda didn't respond, she didn't even move.

Isabel slowly approached her sister, watching her suspiciously. "Bren?" she called. Still there was no answer. "Bren, alright?" she got closer to her fallen sister and worry began to eat at her. "Bren?" she asked again. Brenda still didn't move. Isabel stopped next to her sister, and just as she was bending down to shake her shoulder Brenda jumped up and tagged Isabel.

"Now you it!" she said gleefully and ran quickly away from her sister.

"That not fair!" Isabel called after her. She easily jogged after her sister and followed her toward the woods that bordered their property. "Wait Bren!" she called.

Brenda stopped at looked back at her, "What?" she called back.

"We not suppose to go there," Isabel answered as she pointed in the direction of the darkened woods. Scary night sounds drifted out toward them and Isabel felt a shiver work its way up her spine than back down.

"You scared?" Brenda dared.

Isabel glared at her sister. "'Course I not scared." she said defiantly.

"Then come on!" Brenda called, elated that she was for once the one in the lead.

"Um…" Isabel was still doubtful.

"Izzy chicken!" Brenda cried.

"Am not!"

"Uh-huh," Brenda shot back.

"Uh-uh."

"Are so!"

"Am not a chicken Bren!" Isabel yelled and sprinted after her sister.

They both reached the woods at the same time and both stopped at the same time. Unsure of what to do next Brenda looked over at her sister. Isabel just shrugged her shoulders. The sudden cry of an owl startled both girls and they cried out in alarm. "What that?" Brenda asked, her voice shaking with fear.

"Dunno," Isabel answered and slowly began to back away from the woods. She could see eyes staring back at the both of them and she had no desire to find out what the eyes belonged to. "I think we go back that way," she said and hiked her thumb back over her shoulder indicating the house and it's relative safety.

"Yeah," was all Brenda said.

The two girls slowly turned around and started back toward the house. Both couldn't get rid of the feeling like someone was watching them…someone or something. The many eyes in the woods flashed through Isabel's mind and she had to make herself not shudder with the memory.

They heard a twig or something snap from behind them and both froze. Isabel slowly turned around to see what was there…

She saw absolutely nothing. The woods were suddenly quiet, to quiet. Isabel looked from the woods to the house and suddenly their safe haven seemed so very far away. Fear started to well in her heart. She grabbed Brenda's hand and they both started to slowly walk back toward the house. Neither could rid themselves of the feeling like something was watching them or maybe even following them.

Isabel felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and a chill run its way up her spine. Again she heard a twig snap. Again she turned around and saw nothing. Absolutely nothing. The eyes had vanished in the woods, which had suddenly become deathly still.

Isabel's heart trembled in fear. She felt panic welling up in her body and the need to run roared through her mind. Her grip on Brenda's hand tightened and she gently tugged her sister to get her moving once more.

Again she heard the twig snap behind her. This time she didn't look back, instead she started making a mad dash for the house, never loosening her grip on Brenda's hand. Suddenly she heard footsteps pounding behind them and she felt her heart plummet from her chest. There was the sound of beating wings accompanying the heavy footsteps but Isabel didn't dare turn around and see who or what was behind them. Then suddenly she felt someone grab hold of her shoulder and try to spin her around. She easily shrugged the hand off, put on a sudden burst of speed and continued to drag her sister along behind her.

Something suddenly wrapped itself around her legs and she fell flat on her face. She scrambled to get back up and heard Brenda scream. Isabel turned around to see what was going on and saw some tall dark man had hold of her sister. Wings appeared to sprout from his shoulders and his eyes glared evilly down at her. Without thinking the three-year-old little girl launched herself at her sister's assailant and bit into his thigh. The thing screamed in pain and dropped Brenda then reached for Isabel.

"Run!" Isabel screamed once she realized that her sister was safe. Both girls took off in two different directions.

The man, if you could call it taht, who had been watching the girls for a while, knew which one was quicker so went after the slower one. In no time at all he had hold of Brenda again. Isabel didn't have time to do a thing before he disappeared into the woods with her twin sister. Isabel watched in horror as the stranger disappeared into the darkened woods with her best friend.

As tears started to stream down her face she turned and fled toward the house. She didn't stop screaming until the cops arrived a half hour later. Brenda was never found, nor were any of the other children that had been kidnapped. Isabel never went out alone again.

{End Flashback}

Isabel looked up at Rocky, the tears had dried up a long time ago but their coarse down her cheeks were still apparent. "So, that's what happened to Brenda. If I hadn't convinced her into going out that night she would've never been kidnapped and she'd still be here."

"Isabel, you can't blame yourself. You didn't know what was going to happen, you couldn't have known." Rocky said as he tilted her head up to look him directly in the face. "Why didn't you ever tell any of us?" He asked, then a sudden thought occurred to him. "Kat knew, didn't she?"

"Yeah, Kat knew. I asked her not to tell anyone. It was my dirty secret. It was my past and I didn't know how you guys would react to such a thing…" her voice became thick with tears once more. "I was so scared you would all think I was some kind of monster or something. I blamed myself for it and I didn't want anyone else to know about what I had done."

"You didn't do anything wrong. It wasn't your fault." Rocky told her, gently kissing the tip of her nose.

"That's easy for you to say, you're not the one who's been living with all this guilt and pain for all those years."

"No, I'm not. I can help you through it though, if you'll let me." Rocky said, his eyes wondered down to her lips. He wanted to kiss her so bad, but didn't think it would be right, not with the amount of pain she was feeling right at that moment. "Just let me help you Iz," he pleaded as his eyes wondered up her face to look into her eyes once more.

"I-I don't know," she said hesitantly. "I'm just so scared to relive it…I had put it all behind me, and then this happens."

"We're here for you, you know that right?" Rocky asked. "I'm here for you, if you ever need me."

Isabel met his gaze and smiled at him, it was a small smile, but it was a real one non-the-less. She closed her eyes and leaned her face up to his, her lips gently touching his. His arms wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her closer against him as his lips pressed more firmly against hers. She sighed deeply and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down closer to her, while at the same time pressing her body more intimately against his.

It was at that moment that the phone decided to ring. She looked up at Rocky shyly. "Better get that," he said, thinking the same thing she was. It could be about Kim.

She picked the phone up, "Hello?" She said into it.

"Hi Kat…is everything all right?" She paused as the other Australian answered. Iz met Rocky's gaze and smiled at him, singaling that Kim was all right. "Is she allowed visitors?"

There were a few more exchanges then Isabel put the phone down and smiled up at Rocky. "They expect Kim to make a full recovery. She's still in pretty bad condition, but Kat's confident that its going to take a lot to take her away from Tommy again."

"We suppose to go over?" Rocky asked.

"When ever you're ready."

"Then lets go," Rocky said. He stood up and looked down at Isabel, he extended his hand to her and said ever so gallantly, "If you're ready milady, your chariot awaits."

Isabel giggled inspite of herself. "Thank you," she said as she took his offered hand.

__

Slightly re-edited and it suits things for me now. Hopefully I'll get everything straightened out and it won't confuse you the readers to much. If so, just let me know…I'll see if I can fix it in anyway. I'm glad I still have a few people reading this.

Thanks a million to all the readers…Wild-Melody


	9. More Mysteries

Disclaimer : I have no rights to nothing, not a thing, you understand? So please don't sue me 'cause I ain't worth much at all…just thought I'd warn you ahead of time. J 

A/N : Ok, I think this was originally chapter 8, but things are getting switched around and this got switched slightly with everything else. Hope you like.

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID

PART II

Chapter 9 : More Mysteries

A few hours later.

Kat walked back toward the worried group. Kim had just been brought out of surgery, and although the doctors had said everything was going to be all right, there was still that small doubt, and everyone was feeling it. She was not out of the woods yet. Kat walked up to Aisha and Billy, "How is she?" She asked.

Billy looked over at the blond Australian then looked over at where Tommy, Jason and Trini were standing directly in front of the ICU room. Tommy was suppose to be in a hospital room himself, but had refused until he knew for sure that Kimberly was going to be all right. That was still an uncertainty. Aisha cleared her throat and spoke up, drawing Kat's attention back to her. "She's sleeping right now. The doctor that Tommy spoke to said that that's good for right now. She needs the rest, time for her body to attempt to heal."

"I hear a but in there…" Kat said.

"She's still not out of the woods," Aisha responded.

"But she's going to make it, right?" 

"They won't give a definite answer one way or the other," Aisha said. "They pretty much try to sugar coat it without giving a direct answer."

Kat shook her head and walked over to Tommy, Jason and Trini. Jason and Trini turned to look at her and smiled sadly. Kat returned the smile, "I got hold of Rocky and Isabel, they're on their way back."

Jason just nodded his head. Trini just smiled.

Kat walked over to Tommy and laid a hand gently on his arm then turned to look through the clear glass at the woman laying in the room beyond.

Kim lay silently in bed, her eyes closed peacefully in sleep. She was not out of the woods yet, not by no means the doctors had said. She was still in critical condition, though she had just been moved up a notch to stable, but still critical. That status still did not ease her friends' worried minds.

Tommy, his one leg in a cast along with the arm that Kat had her hand on, looked over at Trini and Jason, standing just behind him. Kat stood next to him, her hand poised lightly upon his arm, as if trying to lend silent support. _We'll get through this, like we always have. She'll make it through, you just have to have faith, that's all. _A voice said within his head.

"Do you really think she's going to make it through this?" Tommy asked as he once more turned his worried eyes toward the young woman laying so very still in the ICU room in front of them. The masses of tubes and wires and beeping machines were to much for Tommy, he couldn't stand seeing Kimberly that way. She looked more dead still, then alive.

"Sure she'll make it through," Trini said as she moved up to his other side and laid a comforting hand on Tommy's shoulder. "She came back to you, it would take hell on earth to tear her away again, believe me."

"I hope you're right Trini," Tommy sighed. 

Inside the closely monitored room Kim sighed in her troubled sleep. Images of someplace she had never been, or at least couldn't remember, played through her mind. She was with a little girl, she was a child herself, and they were out in the dark, but they weren't scared because they both were giggling in glee. They were outside alone, playing in the dark and they weren't supposed to be there.

Kim sighed in her comatose state and attempted to move but it still hurt too much. In her dream state she could sense danger, a terrible danger. She wanted to tell the other little girl that they needed to go into the house, but something told her that that isn't how this dream-scene played out. They were running toward the darken woods and night sounds assaulted her sensitive child's hearing. _Don't go near there, _a voice echoed in her mind, echoed through the dreamscape. Trying to warn them of the impeding danger.

Kim and the other girl ignored it and they raced forward, growing ever closer to the dangerous woods. The thought of Little Red Riding Hood suddenly popped into her head and she suddenly wondered if there were wolves around this strange place. The thought immediately left her mind as she heard an owl scream in the night. Both girls stopped dead in their tracks and slowly looked at one another. Simultaneously they turned to walk back toward the house.

Then they heard the twig snap behind them. The other girl looked at her and motioned for them to continue. They started toward the house once more, only to hear another twig snap again. The other girl stopped and turned around to look behind them. She must've seen nothing 'cause she grabbed Kim's hand and started to walk again, back toward the house. When they heard a twig snap again they didn't stop this time, instead the other girl pulled on Kim's hand to follow and they started to run toward the house. The other girl tripped and fell flat on her face then clambered to get back up. Kim screamed as she felt someone grab hold of her from behind. She saw the other girl launch herself into the air and sink her teeth into her assailant's thigh. He yelled in rage and proceeded to drop Kim unceremoniously onto the unyielding ground.

__

Run!! She heard the word echo through the dreamscape, and the shear panic that vibrated through it urged her into action, though she wasn't certain if she'd actually heard it by her ears or if she'd heard it in her mind. Both girls darted in two different directions but the thing chose to follow her. She wasn't as fast as the other girl and it didn't take long for the man to grab her and run toward the dark and dangerous woods. "Isabel!" she screamed, at once she understood who she was and what she was experiencing.

*****************************************

Kim gasped in terror and tried to sit upright in the uncomfortable hospital bed. Warning bells went off all around her. Her eyes opened wide as she glanced around the unfamiliar room…the unreality of the dream still stuck fresh in her mind and she couldn't get rid of the unease she now felt. "Isabel," she gasped as Tommy rushed into the room with Trini and Jase right behind him.

She caught out of the corner of her eyes the rest of the group poised just outside of her hospital room. She looked up at Tommy, "Aren't you suppose to be in a room too?" She asked.

Tommy didn't have time to answer as a nurse pushed him out of the way to peer in at Kim. 

Another nurse was just striding in and looked at the three visitors with a practiced eye. "You shouldn't be in here!" she said pointedly. "This is a restricted area, for family members only."

"I'm her boyfriend," Tommy said, he didn't spare the nurse a single glance. His eyes stayed riveted to Kim and her uneven breathing.

"I'm her sister," Trini lied. The nurse looked at her doubtfully. "Um, her adopted sister." The nurse just looked at her, telling her silently what she thought of that idea.

"Just please stay out of the way," the nurse said as a doctor and a few more nurses rushed into the room.

"What's going on?" the doctor asked, his face a calm, but fake, mask of control.

"Rapid heart-rate," the nurse answered as she glanced at the heart monitor. "She must've been dreaming."

"I'm…I'm fine." Kim said weakly. The images and the fear still stuck in her mind. She had been reliving what had happened to Brenda. Her gaze wondered over to where Trini, Jason and Tommy stood out of the doctor and nurses way. "Where's Isabel?" She needed to talk to Isabel right away, she needed to know if what she had seen was true or not.

Tommy stepped forward, but made sure he stayed out the way. "She's on her way, she went home for a little while till we called to let her know you were out of surgery. Her and Rocky should be here shortly." He answered, wanting so desperately to hold her but knowing he had to stay out of the doctor's way.

"I-I need to talk to her," Kim said quietly. She'd thought it had all been a dream…Brenda and Victoria, but it hadn't been a dream. She'd actually met Isabel's twin sister, in fact she had experienced Brenda's death. She knew all that had happened, every bit of it, and it scared her. Scared her terribly. What she seen couldn't be true, could it?

Kim was once more lying back on the uncomfortable hospital bed and the doctor had a stethoscope pressed to her chest, listening to her heart. "She seems to be doing better." He said somewhat distractedly. He then shined a tiny flashlight in front of her eyes, having her follow the small but bright light. Her eyes flinched as he shined it directly into her eyes for a moment. "You're doing a lot better now Miss Hart," he finally said to her.

He turned around and looked at one of the nurses, "Page me if anything else happens," his beeper suddenly went off. He checked it and looked up at the nurse once more. "I'll be in OR if you need me," with that said he turned around and left the room.

Trini cleared her throat and the nurse turned to look at her. "Is it alright if we visit with her for a while?"

"As long as you don't disturb her to much I suppose I can allow you to stay, but you mustn't over excite her." The nurse said curtly. She glanced at the group standing just outside of the room and said quickly, "You can visit a few at a time, but no more than three. Understand?"

The group all nodded their heads.

Trini nodded her head and said "Thank you."

The nurse turned and left, leaving the four friends in the room, all alone. "How ya feeling Kim?" Trini asked as she stepped up and sat on the bed next to her friend.

"Sore." Kim answered and tried a weak smile. "I feel like I got ran over by a semi…" her voice trailed off as realization hit her. She'd almost literally gotten ran over by one of the large trucks.

"I'm just glad that you're ok." Jason said from next to Trini.

Kim offered them a weak smile. "Will they be here soon?" She asked.

"Who?" Jason asked as he looked out the door at the rest of their friends.

"Rocky and Isabel…I need to talk to her."

"Any second," Trini answered.

"Good," Kim sighed and closed her eyes. Totally exhausted, sleep claimed her once more. This time though, the dreams that greeted her weren't so bad, they were actually happy ones. Images of times gone by flitted through her mind as she relived more happier times of her life.

****************

Traffic was bad as Rocky waited at a red light, "Won't this thing ever change?" He complained. The light seemed to stay red forever, as if the thing knew that he was in a hurry and was doing everything to slow him down.

"Why red?" Isabel asked from the passenger seat beside him.

"The light?" Rocky asked, looking over at her somewhat puzzled. "Are they a different color over in Australia?"

"No," she said and actually smiled. "Your truck. You're not a Ranger anymore, so why did you pick the color red? I noticed that most of you have vehicles that match the color of the Ranger you were. Trini and her yellow Bug, Jason and the red Grand Prix. Tommy and his white…" her voice trailed off as she mentioned the demolished white jeep.

"Force of habit I guess…" Rocky said in a strangled voice.

"She's all right," Isabel said, trying to comfort and console both herself and him at the same time. Maybe if she said it enough it would be true. "We have to think positively."

"Yes," Rocky agreed. "We do."

A sudden shrill ringing echoed through the truck, Rocky looked curiously at her. "Cell phone?" He asked.

She looked at him then at her purse sitting on the seat between them, "Yeah, I thought I had left it at home. Guess I must've stuck it in my purse without knowing it." She picked the tiny purple phone up out of her purse and pushed the send button. "Hello?" She said into it. She didn't know who could be calling her.

"Isabel?" The voice was slightly familiar, but she didn't place it right away.

"Yeah…"

"This is Doctor Manning," the person identified himself.

"Hello sir," she said. "What can I do for you?"

"I know you're scheduled to have tomorrow off…but…well, Michelle was involved in that severe car accident earlier today and she won't be able to return to work for a few weeks."

"Yes?" Isabel asked, feeling she already knew where this was leading too.

"I was hoping you could cover her shift for me tomorrow. I already called Julie and Steph but they both already have plans."

"Sir, a few friends of mine were involved in that car accident too, the one isn't doing very well."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Mr. Manning responded. "I'm sure I can ask my wife and see if she won't mind filling in."

"If she won't, call me back and let me know, all right?" Isabel asked.

"Will do, thank you Iz. Sorry to hear about your friends. I heard it was a pretty bad accident. The news said that the last two they got out were lucky to be alive."

"They were my friends," Isabel said quietly.

"Um…I'm sorry. I'll let you go now then."

"Thank you. Bye sir." She ended the call and turned to look over at Rocky.

"Your boss?"

"Yes, he wanted me to fill in for Michelle tomorrow. Seems she was involved in the accident too." A sudden thought occurred to her then. "I hope she didn't have her daughter with her. I didn't even think to ask till now."

"Maybe you can find out at the hospital." Rocky suggested.

"Maybe," Isabel agreed as the phone began to ring again. "I guess his wife didn't want to work," she said as she looked over at Rocky.

Hitting the send button she placed the small device up to her ear, "Hello Mr. Manning."

There was no answer.

"Hello?"

Still nothing.

"Is there anyone there?"

Suddenly she heard heavy breathing on the other end. "This isn't funny, who is this?"

Rocky looked over at her, his eyes questioning if everything was all right or not.

She was about to turn the phone off when she heard someone begin to speak.

"I know where Brenda is."

"What?" Her voice raised in pitch.

"I know where Brenda is."

"Is this some idea of yours as a sick joke?"

Rocky suddenly grabbed the phone from her, "Who is this?" He said angrily into the phone.

"Your worst nightmare," the man said, then hung the phone up.

The sound of horns honking from behind him brought his eyes back to the road and the traffic light in front of them. He punched the gas, intent on only getting to the hospital and then asking Isabel exactly what that had been all about. He was far to angry to ask about it right there and then.

__

Ok, this was changed just slightly. Hope you enjoyed it. I know that chapter 10, which use to be chapter 9 is going to be changed big time so it may take me a bit longer to get that one out…or chapter 10 may be chapter 2 of Dark Shadows and chapter 11 might be the original chapter 9 of this series, but anyway you put it, it is going to be severely changed. Hope you enjoyed, and as always, please review!!


	10. Strange Lightning

Disclaimer : I own nothing…like usual.

A/N : Ok, hello everyone yet again. Here's the thing, this was originally Chapter 2 for Dark Shadows…Hidden Light, but it is now Chapter 10 for this Series and it has been re-modified. Which means, if you read it as Chapter 2 from other said story, you should read it again since it has been changed. Oh, and one more thing, you might want to read over Chapters 8 & 9 'cause I redid them too. I discovered upon browsing over the story that some things just didn't fit together and other things seemed way to rushed. Focus has been reverted back to Tommy and Kim, but Rocky and Isabel still play a key role. Now that I think I have my act back together, please read and review as always. Enjoy!!

Oh, P.S., I don't really know if Kat is afraid of thunderstorms, but it just fit in with the story so as of now, she is. Ok, go ahead and read now…

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID : PART II

Chapter 10 : Strange Lightning

Rocky drove like there was no tomorrow, wildly sliding around turns, and almost crashing into other slower moving vehicles, and stopping at lights only once they had turned red. Yellow to him meant speed up, not slow down. It was always a contest, especially when he was in a hurry, could he beat the light before it changed? This worried Isabel as she once more tore herself out of her dark thoughts. Dark thoughts about her own dark past.

There was still so much about her that the others didn't know, things she didn't want to discuss. Hell, she didn't even want to think about it, it hurt too much. Kat, her best friend in the world, didn't even know about this terrible secret, and Isabel wasn't sure if she could share the secret with her, with any of them. It had been hard enough to tell them about Brenda, her own twin sister. How could she tell them about the other secret…the far darker secret?

Only one other person knew about the terrible secret, and that was her brother Donny. Oh, and her parents too. How could she hide something like this from them? And the person responsible for the terrible secret…

She recalled the phone call she had received, and chills ran up and down her spine. Her eyes unconsciously slipped over to Rocky, he was paying attention to the road for once, and not her. Her mind flitted back to the phone call that had turned her world upside down. _I know where Brenda is. _ Those five simple words had killed her, all over again. Wasn't it bad enough that she had had to relive events of the past, now someone had to bring up a far darker side of her past? She knew who it was, per say, she knew who **_he_** was.

He'd haunted her dreams, hell, he'd haunted her entire life, since the day he had taken Brenda away from her. Wasn't it bad enough that he'd taken Brenda, now he had to terrorize her when she was with…what exactly was Rocky to her? Her boyfriend? She didn't know if she could call him that yet. What would be next, calling her at home? Just then the phone chose that moment to ring and Isabel eyed it wearily. Her eyes clashed with Rocky's and his seemed to say 'Don't you even dare answer it.'

__

Should I answer it or not? Isabel wondered to herself dully, fully expecting it to be _him_ calling her again.

Hesitantly she reached for the phone, she meekly broke eye contact with Rocky, "Hello?" she said as she hit the send button, her voice a mere whisper. _I know where Brenda is, _echoed in her mind.

"Isabel?" Mr. Manning's voice came over the phone.

"Sir?" She asked.

"My wife can't work tomorrow, I'm sorry for asking this of you, with all that has happened and such…" her boss left the question unasked, thrown up in the air. She could refuse, she knew that…but if Mr. Manning really needed the help…

She looked over at Rocky and he looked darkly back at her, his dark eyes burning with anger. "It's Mr. Manning," she said quietly. Rocky just nodded his head. "He wants me to work tomorrow."

"You're a big girl," was all Rocky said.

__

He's mad, Isabel realized. _That phone call must've really upset him._

"I'm sorry Mr. Manning, I really can't. We're on our way to the hospital at the moment, to visit our friends and we'll probably be there tomorrow too."

"Is everything all right?"

"One of them just came out of surgery."

"Ah, the ones involved in the accident then?"

"Yes," Isabel answered.

"I'll be letting you go then. I hope everything works out and that they're ok."

"Thank you sir," Isabel responded softly.

Hitting the end button she turned her blue eyes back to Rocky. "Rocky?" She said quietly.

He looked over at her and realized for the first time exactly how vulnerable she looked. This was a side of her he had really never gotten to glimpse. She seemed as fragile as a flower, instead of the tough she-devil she always portrayed. Her heart and soul were in her eyes as she stared at him, the tears shimmering in their depths. He saw heartache and betrayal in their depths, along with a strong sense of longing, and love. "What?" He asked softly, he voice getting stuck in this throat.

"Thank you," she said softly as she scooted across the space separating them and laid her head down on his shoulder. "Thank you so much for being here."

Rocky smiled and slipped a hand around her shoulders and drew her closer just as a large raindrop pelted the windshield. Isabel leaned forward and looked up into the sky, noticing for the first time the dark gray storm clouds starting to eclipse the sun.

"Looks like a storm's on its way," she said softly and snuggled back into Rocky's warm embrace.

****************************

The bright sun was eclipsed by a dark cloud, shrouding the peaceful city of Angel Grove into a darkness far darker than it had any right to be. Tommy noticed this as he walked out of the hospital, Kim was asleep at the moment and he was taking the brief reprieve to go out and get some air. He had been cooped up in that hospital for far to long, but he was thankful that the hospital staff hadn't tried to keep him in his own room. He didn't know what he would have done had they tried to keep him from Kimberly. He couldn't get over the feeling that she needed him.

As the dark cloud fully encompassed the sun, Tommy realized that there was one hell of a storm on the horizon. He could already feel the wind picking up and tossing his dark hair around. Thunder echoed in the distance and lightning flashed across the sky. He felt someone walk up behind him and turned around to face them. "Hey," he said softly.

"Are you sure you should be up walking around on that leg?" Aisha asked from beside him.

He looked down at said leg and smiled half-heartedly. "Probably not."

She glanced up at the quickly blackening skies, "I think we should be getting back-" she was cut off by the squealing of tires as a red truck came hauling ass into the parking lot. "Looks like Rocky finally made it." She glanced down at the watch on her wrist and smiled as she said, "I think that's the longest it ever took him to get-" she broke off as Rocky came running up to them. The first few rain drops of the storm pelting his exposed skin.

"Rain and traffic," he said breathlessly. "There's one hell of a storm on its way, plus I think I caught every damn red light there is and a few there isn't."

"That really made no sense there Rock-o," Aisha said as she glanced around, looking for Isabel. "And where is your girlfriend at?"

"My-huh?!" Rocky asked as he glanced at the smiling faces of his two friends.

"Cat's out of the bag, Rocky my friend," Tommy laughed as he watched Isabel cautiously walk up to them.

She grabbed hold of Rocky's hand as another loud crack of thunder echoed through the quiet city.

"Kat was in a bag?" Isabel asked, her body pressed up against Rocky's, as if she were trying to hide from the approaching storm, as she looked suspiciously, first at Tommy then over at Aisha. "What was she doing in a bag?"

"Just a figure of speech, girl, just a figure of speech." Aisha said with a laugh. "You've been in this country what, a total of four years?" Isabel nodded her head, already knowing where this line of questioning was leading.

"And I still haven't picked up all your funny sayings…" Isabel said at the same time Aisha did. "Yes, I know, I know. I'm a slow learner. It's an Australian trait, just look at Kat." That brought smiles and laughs from everyone.

******************************

Trini, Jason and Billy were just on their way out of the hospital in search of their missing friends when Trini suddenly noticed the darkened skies. "Looks like rain," she commented to her husband and friend. "I don't recall there being anything in the forecast about the possibility of rain."

"That's because there wasn't." Jason replied.

"The probability of rain was suppose to be at 20 percent or less for today. The likelihood of it occurring wasn't really possible." Billy said from behind them.

Jason just turned around and looked at him. "I actually understood that," he said with a laugh. 

A bolt of lightning suddenly zigzagged across the sky, momentarily blinding the three friends with its intensity. The crack of thunder booming simultaneously. Trini pointed to just outside of the sliding glass doors, "There they are, and it looks like Rocky and Isabel finally made it."

"'Bout time," Jason muttered good-naturedly underneath his breath.

**********************************

Kat looked in on Kim once more and held her breath, listening to the silence of the ICU area. Only the steady beeping of the various machines dared to break the silence. She watched as Kim's room darkened, the lights and other illumination glowing brightly in the sudden darkness. _What in the world? _Kat wondered to herself silently.

She glanced out of a nearby window and noticed that a large and rather angry looking storm cloud was obliterating the sun. Wind whistled just outside of the window and smashed unmercifully against the glass, as if trying to shatter it so it could gain entrance into the hospital.

Kat shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself, willing the creepy feeling to go away. _Isabel is probably just loving this as much as I am, _she though. Her eyes met with both Tanya and Adam's. "I really hate thunderstorms," she said as a loud crash of thunder shook the very foundation of the hospital. A small gasp of terror escaped from her lips and she once again tried to will the fear to leave her body. "I really, really hate thunderstorms!"

"They're not that bad," Tanya said.

"What's not that bad?" Zack asked as he walked in in the middle of the conversation.

"That's easy for you to say," Kat directed to Tanya. "You're not the one who's afraid of them!" Then she looked over at Zack, "Thunderstorms, that's what!"

The words hadn't even escaped her mouth as another bolt of lightning flashed past the window, drawing a gasp from Kat. She hadn't seen what she just thought she had, had she? The bolt of lightning had been pink, as pink as her Ranger uniform had once been!

************************************

Rocky looked down at Isabel , she had her face buried against his chest, her grip on his hand tightening with each crash of thunder. She looked up just long enough to direct a question toward Tommy regarding Kim, "How's she doing?" Another peel of thunder echoed all around them and she almost literally jumped into Rocky's arms. "We can go in anytime now," she said weakly.

"How is Kim?" Rocky re-asked her question, tightening his arms around her.

Isabel peeked out from beneath lowered lashes, waiting for Tommy's answer.

Tommy looked down at the sidewalk beneath their feet. "She's asleep right now." He answered. "But she seems to be doing better."

"That's good, and how are you doing?" She asked, stepping just slightly way from Rocky. 

Almost like she's daring the storm, Rocky thought to himself, but didn't relax his arms around her, knowing as soon as the thunder rumbled she'd be right back in his arms again.

His eyes shot up to meet with hers. "I'm not suppose to be walking without crutches…you can see how well that's gone over."

She glanced down at the cast on his leg, "Yeah, I can. You do know though, that if the doctors said you're suppose to be using crutches, there is a good reason for the suggestion? And that you should be using them?"

"Well…yeah, maybe."

Aisha laughed as Trini, Jason and Billy walked out through the sliding glass doors. "What's so funny?" Trini asked.

"Oh, not much really. Isabel's just lecturing 'Fearless Leader' here about not using his crutches."

"I was not lecturing," Isabel said indignantly, but there was a slight laugh to her voice. "I was just stating the obvious. That's all."

The wind suddenly picked up, sending down a few more large drops of rain and blowing debris and various other junk from the ground around. Isabel shielded her eyes as Aisha and Trini did the same. "Where did this storm come from anyhow?" She asked as the wind blew strands of blond hair into her eyes, which she turned cautiously up toward the sky.

"Um…hell if I know." Rocky answered. "I wish it would go back though."

"Kat's probably shaking in her boots," Isabel said, smiling to herself, trying to take her mind off of her own fear of storms.

"Worse than what you are?" Tommy couldn't resist asking.

"Almost forgot she was scared of these things," Aisha said as another load crack of thunder echoed all around them.

Isabel jumped, wrapping her arms around Rocky's neck. "I don't think she's the only one scared of them." Rocky laughed.

"Yes, well…we weren't questioning my fear of them, now were we?" Isabel asked indignantly. "And besides, it just took me by surprise, that's all." She said as she removed her arms from around his neck, once more.

That brought another bought of laughter from everyone.

Another boom of thunder vibrated through the air, along with it another streak of lightning etched across the sky. It split apart and two strands struck the ground, seeming to strike on either side of the hospital. "I…I think it's time to go in," Isabel said shakily. 

Jason and Rocky just stood in their places, saying nothing. The lightning had been tinted with a bright shade of red, which both of the ex-Red Rangers had seen. 

"I would quite agree with that observation," Billy said, having not seen what both Rocky and Jason had.

Isabel just stared at him. "All right then," she said, still staring at Billy. "I think."

"Let's go," Tommy said as he started toward the sliding glass doors.

Another crash of thunder sent Isabel running for the doors, which barely had time enough to open. The lightning bolt that accompanied the thunder was hued a slightly different color than the previous ones. It was a brilliant white, with what looked like a pale purple radiating out from its core. Isabel paused momentarily to watch as it streaked across the sky, crashing to the ground in a remote area just outside of Angel Grove.

Laughter carried on the wind and the blond Australian turned to glare at her friends. "And just what do you think is so funny?" She called back to them.

"Are all you Australians scared of thunderstorms…or is it just you and Kat?" Rocky asked.

"You'll have to ask Donny when he comes for a visit," was all Isabel would say.

Rocky walked through the doors and stood beside her, just looking down at her. "I'll have to remember that," he said.

"When is he coming, anyways?" Trini asked. "We've all heard so much about him from you and Kat, but we've yet to meet him."

"I'm…I'm not sure really," Isabel answered. "He had been planning of visiting this week, but I don't think either Kat or I managed to get hold of him due to the accident…" Her voice trailed off as she looked sadly at Tommy.

Another crash of thunder made Isabel jump. Aisha and Trini were just walking through the doors and paused to turn around and watch as the bolt of lightning they knew would accompany the thunder streaked through the sky. Trini's eyebrows rose in surprise and she heard Aisha gasp softly.

The lightning bolt they saw radiated out yellow light.

They heard a soft gasp from behind them and turned to see Tanya standing there along with Adam, Kat and Zack. Tanya's jaw was still dropped from her surprise, and her eyes met questioningly with the other two ex-Yellow Rangers.

"What was that?" She asked softly.

"You saw it too?" Trini and Aisha asked at the same time.

"Saw what?" Rocky asked.

"That yellow lightning," Tanya answered.

"Yellow lightning?" Tommy asked as he glanced back out to look at the dark skies. "It looked like regular lightning to me."

"It was tinged with yellow," Tanya insisted.

"It was," Aisha spoke up. "I saw it too."

Kat cleared her throat, everyone's eyes jumped to her. "I may not have seen the yellow lightning they saw, but I did see pink lightning earlier."

Tommy was beginning to think that some of his friends had lost their minds. Another crash of thunder echoed through the hospital and he glanced out the sliding glass doors to watch the lightning that he knew would come with it. It was an ordinary bolt, he turned his attention back to his friends, "Anyone see any strange colors in that bolt?" He asked.

Everyone shook their heads.

A blinding flash of light streaked across the sky, no thunder accompanied this lightning bolt, in fact it wasn't even a bolt of lightning. "Ball Lightning," someone whispered.

Billy gasped as the orb of light hovered just below the threatening storm clouds. It glowed with an intensity. A light cerulean blue radiated out from it, casting the surroundings with an unreal glow. He looked around at everyone else to find that all of their eyes were focused on him. He knew at once that none of them had seen it's unusual color.

"What did you see?" Tommy asked.

"It was a light blue," Billy responded.

Jason and Rocky looked at one another, "Actually Tommy, Rocky and I did see a colored bolt too…"

"Let me guess," Tommy said, growing slightly annoyed. "Red."

Neither Rocky nor Jason answered. "Does anyone notice anything strange here?"

"You're all seeing your former colors…but that doesn't explain…" Isabel's voice broke off as everyone's eyes turned to regard her.

"Doesn't explain what?" Rocky asked.

"Why I saw purple in one of the lightning bolts."

Tommy regarded her silently, his eyes narrowed in speculation. "There was never a purple Ranger, at least not to my knowledge."

"That's just my point," Isabel said calmly. "If these strange occurrences have something to do with when you were Rangers, I shouldn't be seeing anything. I was never one of you."

There was another crack of thunder and the rain suddenly began to poor down. Double shafts of bright white light erupted from the skies, striking the ground furiously. Zack took a step back, his jaw dropped in surprise, behind him he heard Adam gasp. A bolt of black lightning struck the ground, while behind it a bolt of blinding white light served as a back drop, illuminating the bolt that would have been impossible to be seen against the black skies.

Another streak of lightning lit up the sky, not even striking the ground. It leapt from one point of the sky to another, striking clouds. Tommy imagined that he could almost hear the clouds sizzling from the intensity. His eyes opened wide in surprise as the bolt leapt from the clouds again, it's core radiating green then eclipsing into a blinding white light.

The rain pelted the doors, making it almost impossible to see out of them. "This is one hell of a weird storm," Aisha said softly. She was standing next to Billy, her hand entwined with his.

"Affirmative," Billy said, not even glancing over at his girlfriend. (A/N : When exactly did I make them a couple? I guess they must've gotten their act together sometime when I wasn't looking.)

Rocky grabbed hold of Isabel's hand and drug her up toward the doors, she resisted until he turned around and picked her up in his arms and carried her over. She wrapped her arms around his neck and said sweetly into his ear, "Drop me and I'll kill you."

He just looked at her and smiled.

It was that moment that the lightning decided to put on one final light show. Bright stands of light erupted from the clouds and the steady down poor of rain lessened in its intensity. Purple streaked from the sky, followed by a bolt of red, almost striking the ground in the same place. Seconds later a bolt of yellow savagely streaked down from the skies, followed closely by a bright line of blue, striking in the same vicinity as the bolts of purple and red. A streak of black light erupted from the sky, followed closely by a bolt of green light radiating out into white, then a bolt of bright pink struck the ground, hitting the same spot as the bolt of green/white lightning.

All of the friends gasped in awe, watching the spectacular display of light, until Billy interrupted them with some news that brought another round of gasps, this time from surprise.

"By my calculations," Billy said quietly, "Those lightning bolts are striking near to, if not exactly at, the location of the Command Center."

**************

Brown eyes opened up to the darkened room and gazed curiously around at a room that looked suspiciously empty. _Where did everyone go? _She wondered to herself.

Her eyes were attracted to a window by a bolt of strangely colored light. The bolt of pink hued lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the darkened room with a soft pale pink. She heard a loud crash of thunder, then a rainbow full of colors light up the sky. It was almost like the Fourth of July, as the various colored bolts of lightning lit the sky up with a multitude of colors.

The last thing she recalled seeing before sleep claimed her once more was a bunch of words written in pink across the window of her room…but she couldn't make out what they said. She didn't even know if they were really there or if they were the product of a very mixed up imagination.

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So then, what did you think? Review, I was a little disappointed by the lack of reviews for the last chapter. Ok, actually I was a lot disappointed. If you liked….then be kind and review. Tankies!!

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	11. The Summoning

Disclaimer : I don't own it, though if I did…never mind.

A/N : Hi all, don't ask where this chapter came from, 'cause honestly, I don't have a clue! It was running around in my head after some major pain bashing…painkillers are good for something but they put some really heavy-duty weird type story ideas in your head! At least I'm feelin' no pain…or anything else for that matter…*sighs* Oh well, glad to know you're still hanging in there with me.

Before I go on to the story, I have got to thank a few people first. As always Hartfelt, I appreciate all your comments…but girl, keep you opinions to your self! Just kidding…but quit busting on my Eagle! The rest of you are probably confused, just as you should be, but Hartfelt knows exactly what I'm talking about. ScarletDeva, hope your computer is up and running soon. Cant' wait for the next chapter of any of your stories. To Achlys, Kylara, Krazymelmo, Reeta, Nicole and Lastat's Chick, thank you for the kind reviews. You'd be amazed at how well a good review can push a writer to complete the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy, and as always, please, please, please and I mean please REVIEW!!!

'Kay, now that I'm done talking your ears off, you can get onto the story. Enjoy!

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THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID : PART II

Chapter 11 : The Summoning

Kimberly slowly opened her eyes, anticipating the pain she knew was sure to come. The pain didn't explode in her head like she had expected, neither did she feel any type of discomfort as would have been expected from sleeping on a hospital bed. In fact though, she felt utterly at peace.

As her eyes carefully surveyed the hospital room, she suddenly realized that something was terribly out of place. Her eyes opened wide in shock as she took in the scene before her.

Sitting atop one of the wooden back chairs, seeming to all the world like it owned the place, was a Crane. And not just any Crane, but a PINK Crane!

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What's going on here? Kim thought silently to herself, never taking her eyes off of the Crane before her. _That…that isn't suppose to be here. It's just not supposed to be possible._

The next thing she noticed was that the whole room was bathed in a pale pink light. _This is way to strange._

"Your chick is confused Crane," Kim heard a high pitch voice say, the call of a bird echoing around the words.

Kim sat up in the bed, bracing her body with her arms, which were locked at the elbows for support. Her eyes glanced around as she sought out the source of the voice. She turned her brown-eyed gaze toward the monitoring equipment, that appeared inactive at the moment, to her left, just behind her, and noticed a purple Eagle perched there. The bird bobbed its head at her then blinked its dark purple eyes. "You have questions Crane chick?" The Eagle asked.

"Of coarse the chick has questions," Kim heard something growl from down beside her hospital bed.

Her eyes instantly darted to that spot on the floor and she felt herself gasp in surprise. There, curled up in a little ball, its snout now lying underneath a paw, was a blue Wolf. Almost as if it sensed her gaze upon it, it turned its bright blue eyes up toward her.

"Greetings Crane chick," the Wolf said, then returned to its previous position, muzzle tucked underneath its paw.

"H-hello," Kim said, unsure of what to make of what was happening. _I'm asleep, I **have** got to be asleep. This is just a little bit to weird for me to actually be awake, _she thought to herself.

"Nothing is to weird with what you have experienced in your life," a voice said from the foot of the bed.

She looked down to the foot of the bed and the black Frog sitting there. She had just opened her mouth to say something back to the Frog when another voice interrupted her.

"Or are going to experience in the future," A rough voice said from near the door. A great yellow Bear stood there, rubbing its massive back against the doorframe.

"Wha-what in the hell is going on here?" Kim cried in confusion. She glanced around at all the animals, red, purple, yellow and blue eyes stared back at her. "How can you hear my thoughts?" She asked quietly.

"All will be explained in time Crane chick," a voice hissed from near the Wolf. The Wolf raised his head and moved his ears in the direction of the voice. "You must have patience," the voice hissed from behind the Wolf, causing his ears to swivel in that direction.

"Who…?" Kim began as a black Rattlesnake slithered out from its hiding place behind the Wolf. Kim jumped in both surprise and shock, _I don't think I even want to know whose spirit animal you are._

"That matters not," the Eagle said from her perch. "What is important is why we were summoned."

Kim's eyes darted to the purple Eagle, "Summoned?"

"Yes my chick," the Crane began, "you have summoned the spirit animals for a reason, we just need to discover the reason why."

"I didn't summon anyone," Kim said.

"Someone summoned us, or we wouldn't be here," a dark red Arabian Horse said from the center of the room, stomping a hoof impatiently. Kim looked at the Arabian speechlessly, not certain where he had come from.

"And if you did not summon us, why are we in your room?" A yellow Mustang asked from beside the Arabian.

Kim's eyes widened in surprise. "Now just wait one damn minute here!" Kim exclaimed. _How in the hell can two horses fit in this room…not to mention the bear, and the rest of these animals._

Everything is not always as it would seem, a voice echoed in her mind.

"This is my room," Kim said grouchily. "And it's my confusion and I still don't know why the hell you're here so you'll excuse me if I decide that I'm the one who will be asking the questions."

"Did I not say the Crane chick would have questions?" The Eagle cried.

"That is not important nor the topic of discussion you Wedge-tail baboon," a red Ape said from near to the Eagle.

"Wedge-tail Eagle you great hulking ape!" The Eagle screeched as she beat her wings against the air.

"Oh great," someone purred from the foot of the bed. Kim's head whipped around and her eyes opened wide in terror. "They'll be at this until we leave this plain." The creature turned its eyes from the Eagle and the Ape to look at Kim, "Greetings Crane child," the large yellow Lioness purred.

"At least you got the Ape part right," Kim could hear the Ape saying to the Eagle.

The Eagle screeched in anger and clicked her beak together. "Why I even bother talking to you in beyond me…you're an ignorant…an ignorant…" the Eagle seemed at a loss for words and the Ape knew it.

"An ignorant what? Cat got your tongue?" The Ape ridiculed. "I never thought I would see the day that you were at a loss for words!"

"I certainly know that I do not have her tongue," The Lioness purred.

"And I know I do not," a Pink Jaguar said lazily from its spot on the floor, bathing in the strange pink light coming through the window.

"What my Eagle chick could possible see in-" The Eagle was cut off from her tirade mid word.

"Enough!" A strong voice boomed. "We have been brought here for a reason." The voice was cold and angry. "Ape, Eagle, that is enough, finish your petty arguments at a later time." A white Falcon came out of nowhere, perched majestically on the windowpane.

The Crane turned her pink eyes to the white Falcon, "Why have we been summoned? My chick has no clue as to how were summoned or why we are here."

The white Falcon turned his midnight black eyes to stare at the gathered group of spirit animals and the one human. "Kimberly Ann Hart, holder of the Pink Crane Powers," The Falcon began.

"I passed those powers onto Kat Hilliard." Kim said quietly.

The Pink Jaguar stepped forward. "In the quest you took all those long years ago, you were chosen to be the holder of the Pink Crane Powers. You and you alone, you may have passed them onto another, but they were and are still your Powers. You are the child of the Crane. Kat is the child of the Jaguar, I am **her **spirit animal."

Kim's eyes took in the rest of the animals. The yellow Bear, Aisha's. The black Frog, Adam's. The red Ape, Rocky's. The white Falcon, Tommy's. The blue Wolf, Billy's. These were all unmistakable, but it was the rest of the animals she was unsure about. Kat's spirit animal was actually the Jaguar…what about the rest of these animals?

The black Rattlesnake…that would have to be Zack's. He was the only other Black Ranger.

The red Arabian Horse…Jason? It had to be.

The yellow Mustang…that could be either Trini or Tanya, Kim wasn't sure.

The yellow Lioness…again, either Trini or Tanya.

Then Kim's eyes landed on the Eagle. The purple Eagle. There had never been a purple Ranger. The bright purple eyes met and held Kim's. "You wonder about me?" The Eagle questioned.

"I wonder about you," the Ape said from beneath his breath.

The Eagle just glared at the Ape. "Yes," Kim spoke up. "Who do you represent? There was never a purple Ranger that I know of."

"No there wasn't," the Eagle said, the sadness apparent in her voice. "My Power was lost long ago. But my spirit lives on, in one of your friends."

"There will be time for this talk later," the Falcon spoke up. "Right now we have to figure out why we were brought here and why to her."

"There is a great evil spreading," the Eagle said quietly. The smart-ass Eagle of a few moments ago was suddenly replaced by an Eagle of solemn tones and wisdom. She seemed different all of a sudden, suddenly wiser than the rest of the animals.

"What do you mean?" The Falcon asked. "How do you know this? What do you know that you have not told the rest of us?"

"I am an ancient spirit, as are all of us. Our existence reaches back far beyond the expanse of time, far beyond the beginning. We were considered old, even as this galaxy was forming. And it was during this early formation that a legend was begun. This legend, some of you may recall…others may have forgotten it. I know I would like to." The Eagle's eyes sought out the fiery red ones of the Ape. They met, clashed and held.

"The legend states…" The Eagle trailed off as something large and black suddenly appeared in the room and made a dive for her. Her wings spread in terror and she tried in vain to beat the sudden threat with her large wingspan. She felt cold terror grasp her heart as the unknown being's cold hands suddenly found their way to her neck.

Red eyes glared out from an indiscernible face. Black wings rose up from the creature's back and pearl white teeth gleamed in its mouth. Dagger-like claws grabbed for the exposed throat of the defenseless Eagle.

She screeched in alarm and clawed with her taloned feet, hoping to gain purchase and wound the horrible creature. "What was to come and pass will never be, this you will see," a cold voice whispered in her ear, for her alone to hear.

She screeched in terror, not liking the malice she heard in the creature's voice or the evil intent she read in its eyes.

Kim grabbed hold of her pillow and began beating the creature with it, knowing that the quite uncomfortable thing that had no right to be called a pillow wouldn't do much damage, but it might give the Eagle a fighting chance.

"If anyone is going to lay a hand on her loud mouth, it'll be me!" The Ape roared in anger just as he grabbed for the unknown assailant. The black creature disappeared, but his laughter was still echoing in the room.

"If I can not go after the spirit animal, than I will go after the person that holds the Ninjetti Power."

"No!" the Eagle cried just as she fainted.

Kim looked at the worried faces of the rest of the animals, "Who holds the Purple Power?" She asked.

"We don't know yet," the Falcon answered. "The Eagle can not reveal that to us until the holder of the Power finds it out for themselves. By then, it may be to late…"

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Dum dum dum dedum dum…hmmm, and just who holds the Purple Power? I think you all may already know this, but you could be wrong considering the fact that I'm going to be adding a few characters in later chapters. We're so much closer to finding out what exactly is the secret. Plus, I've decide to add a few twists and turns to what would have been a perfect relationship for Isabel and Rocky. Expect a few rocks to roll into the road for Tommy and Kim too…I'm never very nice to my favorite characters. Catch you on the flip side! As always, make sure you have reviewed! I greatly appreciate it.


	12. More From The Spirit Animals

Author : Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : Do I really have to do this again? All right, all right…I don't own the Power Rangers or anything else that belongs to Saban. I do however own Isabel, she is all mine! I do hold rights to the story and any unknown characters within…but the rest belongs to someone else. I'm making absolutely no money on this…wish I were though! There! Happy now?

Summary : Isabel receives yet another phone call…and Kim is still talking to those wacky spirit animals…all right, only two of them, the rest left.

A/N : None really…I could talk your ears off here but I won't since the only reason you really came here is to read so do…enjoy! Oh, but please review once your done…I live on reviews, plus I really, really, really like them! Ok, now you can go read…I promise. J 

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THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID : PART 11

Chapter 12 : More From the Spirit Animals

They stood just within the sliding glass doors of the emergency room, watching as the storm partially blew itself out of existence. The winds still howled, battering against the outside brick walls of the hospital and whipping across the glass of the doors, rattling it like plexi-glass. Lightning still flashed in the distance, but it had long since lost the strange phenomenonal colorations. Thunder crashed, the ground still shook with each deafening rumble, each time the group of friends could feel their legs tremble from the effects.

Winds created vortexes in the distances, their winds whipping around and pulling debris into the air, only to deposit it some thousands of feet somewhere else. The long, thread-like funnels of the vortexes appeared and disappeared, dotting the horizon with their deadly presences. Tornadoes, winds of change, crashed through Angel Grove, obliterating anything unlucky enough to get in their way.

Trini glanced at Jason, "I don't know if this storm is going to let up or if it's going to get worse…I'm worried." She returned her dark eyes to the blackened skies, watching as a bolt of bright white light streaked across the skies, lighting all outside to day-like brightness. All of the friends shared in Trini's worries, wondering how much damage the storm would cause before it moved on to the next town.

Isabel jumped, a small scream escaping from her tightly pressed together lips. Rocky had finally put her down, complaining that she 'weighed a ton,' which had only earned him a punch in the arm from all the females of the group. After the last crash of thunder and the accompanying bolt of lightning, she found herself back in his arms.

"This could get quite interesting," Rocky mumbled from beneath his breath.

"I'll just pretend I didn't hear your loud mouth overtop of this storm…" Iz said idly as she pressed a little further into his embrace as there was another crash of thunder. To her relief there wasn't an accompanying bolt of lightning to go along.

A shrill ring suddenly sounded through the all to quiet hospital corridor. Rocky glanced at Isabel as her eyes caught his. "I thought you let that thing out in the truck," Rocky said.

"So did I," Iz responded and smiled a little sheepishly.

The shrill ring echoed again.

Isabel opened her purse and pulled the small purple phone from its case. She looked at it then looked up at Rocky. It rang again, causing Isabel to jump.

"You gonna answer it or what?" Aisha finally spoke up as she and Billy glanced uneasily at the ex-red Ranger and his…girlfriend?

It rang a fourth time and Iz took a deep breath and put the phone to her ear only to have Rocky grab it from her quickly and answer it himself. "Over protective, ain't he?" Aisha said quietly to Billy.

"Affirmative," Billy responded softly.

"Hello?" Rocky was saying into the small device. He paused as he met Isabel's eyes and held them. "Yeah, its her phone…I could ask you the same thing!" Rocky replied to something the person on the other end said. "And just might who you be?" 

He paused as he glanced around to the rest of the group, his cheeks stained with the slightest shade of pink. "Pink looks good on you," Kat laughed softly and gently swatted him on the arm. Rocky just glared at her. "Maybe you should have worn the pink and I should have had red…" she paused as he really started glaring at her. "Oh, sorry…bad idea then. Forget I even mentioned it."

Rocky turned his attention to Isabel, "It's for you," he said quietly and Iz couldn't help but start to laugh.

"I would hope so, it is my phone after all!"

"I was just worried…"

"Yeah, I know and I appreciate it, really I do Rocky. But you won't be there 24/7 to answer that phone every time it rings."

"I could," Rocky said quietly.

"Oh no you couldn't!" Isabel said playfully as she took her phone back from him. "Hello?"

"Who in the world calls in the middle of a storm?" Trini questioned, directing it toward Rocky.

"Don't know. The lady identified herself as Christrina, then she wouldn't answer anything further." Rocky said and watched as Isabel slowly inched herself away from the rest of the group. He noticed that Kat was watching too. "Name sound familiar to you?" He asked as he walked up to stand right next to her.

"Huh?" She asked distractedly, her attention still focused on Isabel.

"The name, does it sound familiar to you?"

"What was it again?" Kat asked.

"Christrina."

"Yeah…" Kat didn't elaborate any further and Rocky stared at her curiously.

"Hello, Earth to Kat? You in there?"

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Blackness had engulfed her once more and this time Kim presumed she had fallen asleep, actually fallen asleep and wouldn't wake up surrounded by a bunch of animals that had no right being in her room or interrupting her dreams. If they could be called dreams. Strange dreamscapes of a feverish mind more like it.

Her body ached, which told her that once she opened her eyes all the animals would be gone…the Ape, the Eagle, the Arabian and the Mustang, the Lioness, the Panther…and all the rest of them. To many of them for her still foggy brain to recollect.

A small groan escaped her lips as she once more reached toward consciousness. Her head hurt like she had been ran over by a semi…the comparison ended there once her mind recollected the events of the last few hours and days. _I had literally been ran over by a semi, and am lucky to still be alive._

You actually did die, you know. A voice interrupted her thoughts.

Kim cracked her eyes opened and glanced around the room. "Hello?" she said weakly, seeing that no one was in the room with her. _Alone for the first time. Wonder where everyone is?_

Your friends are not far, the voice interrupted again.

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What? Who? Where are you? Kim silently asked, instinctively knowing that whoever was speaking would be able to hear her thoughts.

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Same place I was when you returned to your slumber, the voice answered.

Kim fully opened her eyes and glanced at the pink Crane still sitting on the chair directly in front of her bed. _It wasn't a dream then?_

A dream maybe…maybe not. I am still needed here, here on this plain. So I have chose to stay while the other spirit animals returned.

Not all of us, mind you. A new voice interceded.

Kim glanced around the room and found the purple Eagle perched on the windowsill, where the Falcon had been earlier. The Eagle turned its dark purple eyes toward her, its head cocked at a weird angle, as if the bird were studying her. "Why did you stay behind?" She spoke to the bird, thinking that if someone came into her room at that moment they would think she was nuts. Frankly, she would probably agree with them.

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As the Crane said before, I am still needed here too. The Eagle spread her great wingspan and fluttered her wings before returning them next to her body. _I will remain here till I know all is well with my Eagle chick…that the creature will not harm her._

"Who is she?" Kim asked.

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All will be revealed in time. Rest assured, it will all be revealed in time. No one else is permitted to know till she herself learns the truth of who she is.

Kim just stared at the Eagle, debating whether or not she was truly loosing her mind. _This is all to weird, it has got to be a dream. I still must be sleeping._

The Eagle spread her wings again, only this time she hopped from the window sill down to Kim's hospital bed, her taloned feet digging into the bed covers. Before Kim could react, the Eagle bent her wickedly curved beak down to her arm and pinched the skin, gently, between it. "Ouch!" Kim cried out and quickly drew her arm away from the Eagle, hugging it to her body and just staring the Eagle. "What did you do that for?"

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To prove to you that you are not dreaming, the Eagle answered. 

"I could still be dreaming," Kim said, eying the Eagle wearily.

The Eagle opened her beak, her eyes blazing with a purple light. _Would you like to try this again?_

That is enough Talon, the Crane said, flapping her wings in irritation. _When my fledgling is ready to believe, she will. We cannot force her to._

We can help her along, the Eagle responded, the disappointment evident in her tone.

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When she is ready. The Crane repeated.

"Why are you still here?" Kim asked.

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As was said before, we are still needed here. The Crane answered.

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Great things are in motion now. The Eagle responded. _The future of this world, as well as the future of our plain of existence hinges on what happens here in the next few days…months and years._

"Do you always speak in riddles?"

The Eagle just looked at her curiously. _I was not aware that I was speaking in riddles. You asked a question, I just simply answered it._

"Yes, but…" Kim sighed in exasperation. 

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What the Eagle was trying to say is that what happens here in this time is going to greatly affect what will happen in the future. There is a sequence of events that must occur or the flow of time will greatly be changed, and not for the good. We are here to make certain that that which is to occur will.

Kim still wore a look of confusion on her face. "I still don't follow."

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There is a legend, about a child that will be born from two great warriors. The Eagle began.

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From the holders of Talon and Brutus.

He was named well, The Eagle mumbled.

"The holders of Talon and Brutus? I still don't follow."

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She is as smart as you are, the Eagle commented dryly.

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I will pretend to not have heard that, the Crane responded. _She just does not understand the legend. She knows nothing of it._

Surely Zordon would have told them of it.

Perhaps he did not have the time.

He had all of eternity. How could he not have had the time? The Eagle questioned.

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It is an ancient legend. Perhaps even he did not know. Who can say? The Crane turned her pale pink eyes to Kim. _The legend tells of a child that will be born from the holders of Talon and Brutus-_

"Just who or what are Talon and Brutus?"

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I am Talon, the Eagle responded.

Kim suddenly remembered the Crane calling the Eagle that earlier. "Then who is Brutus?"

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The Ape. The Crane responded.

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But how in the name of all that is good could my fledgling ever be attracted to his holder is beyond me!

Kim just looked at the Eagle. "You two hate each other or something?"

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I can't stand that arrogant-

No. The Crane interrupted the Eagle's tirade. _They are stubborn, but deep down they do actually like one another. The constant bickering is just a façade. _

Believe what you like. The Eagle said.

The Crane ignored her. _They like one another, as was proved by the Ape when the creature went after Talon._

"Do you have a name then too?" Kim asked.

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Yes.

"What is it?"

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It is not important at this time. The Crane responded.

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Wind's Song. The Eagle said.

"What?" Kim asked as she looked at the Eagle, who was still perched on her bed.

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Her name is Wind's Song.

"Do the rest have names too?"

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Curiosity killed the cat. The Crane said.

"Pardon?"

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The others have names, yes. They are not important though, what is, is you finding out about the legend and what it foretells.

"All right, I think." Kim said.

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The legends tells of a child being born from the holders of Talon and Brutus-

We've already gotten by that part, Talon reminded Wind's Song.

Wind's Song just looked at her. _Yes, well, I was just making sure she understood this. _When Talon did not respond Wind's Song continued. _This child will hold great power, the combination of red and purple, the powers of its parents. Her parents. Evil will seek to destroy her, while good will seek to protect her-_

You're certain Zordon never mentioned this? Talon interrupted.

"I think I would remember if he ever mentioned something this strange." Kim answered.

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Not even to the other Rangers after you left?

Kim didn't respond right away, "He could have. I honestly don't know."

Just then there was a knock at the door. Kim glanced over toward it and watched as Tommy walked in. She quickly looked to where Talon and Wind's Song had been and found that they were gone. _Maybe it was all just my imagination._

You could only wish, she heard Talon's voice say.

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Now would be the time to find out if the other Rangers were told after you left, Wind's Song said.

"Hey Beautiful," Tommy said as he sat down on the chair that Wind's Song had been perched on. Kim still expected to see the pink Crane sitting on the top of it, just behind Tommy.

****************************************

"So, who is Christrina anyway?" Rocky said to Isabel as the whole group started to head back toward Kim's room. Tommy had left moments before, saying he didn't like to leave Kim alone by herself. If only he knew that she was never by herself. There was always someone watching over her, even if they couldn't be seen.

"Huh?" Isabel asked, being jerked from her own thoughts.

"I said, who is Christrina?"

"Oh, she's my cousin from Australia," she answered. "She called to let me know that she's flying over to visit. She said she'd be staying for a few weeks."

"When will she get here?" Trini asked.

"They'll be leaving tomorrow sometime, so they should be getting here sometime the next morning. That is as long as the plane doesn't run into any unforeseen problems."

"What could go wrong?" Zack asked.

Isabel just looked at him and smiled, "Storms," she answered as she pointed out toward the still raging storm outside of the hospital.

"True," Zack agreed.

"Is she coming by herself?" Kat asked.

"No, she's bringing Talon with her." Isabel answered and continued walking toward Kim's room.

"Who's Talon?" Jason asked Kat quietly.

"A Wedge-Tailed Eagle," Kat answered.

__

Hmmm, Christrina's bringing a Wedge-Tailed Eagle with her? Now just whom do you think holds the Purple Power? All is not as it looks or seems to be. Review if you want me to continue! Nice to have you back aboard and reading Angel of Cloud 9, I thought I had lost you there for a while. I know I ended an earlier chapter with Kim seeing pink writing just before she fell asleep, I'll get to that in the next chapter or a little later, I haven't forgotten about it. Let me know your thoughts, I just love reviews! Till next time, Let the Power protect you! Catch you on the flip side!


	13. Revelations

Author - Wild-Melody

Disclaimer - Um, again? Standard drill…I DON'T own them, if I did…well, we all know what would go in here so I won't even bother saying it.

Summary : The Holder of the Purple Power is finally revealed.

A/N : I think all those reading should thank Avalon Shikaro, if it wasn't for her/his review, this story would have been thrown to the chopping board. I was really starting to wonder if people were really reading this anymore, I went from 8-10 reviews per chapter to…5! I was beginning to wonder if it was worth my time anymore. Thank you Avalon, you have given this writer her inspiration back and it is because of you that this story will continue. This chapter is for all those who have continued to read and review. Oh, and sorry Hartfelt, I haven't actually thought up a name for Billy's wolf spirit yet, if you have any ideas, just let me know, as I know you will. Enjoy!

Avalon Shikaro - I absolutely LOVE your Power Rangers stories! ^_^ Better than anything I could write. I love how you put in spirit animals for the other rangers. Can't wait to read the next chapters. Keep up the awesome work!  
Sayonara!

**__**

THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID 

PART 2

Chapter 13 : Revelations

He paused just outside of her hospital room's door, his hand ready to knock. She looked like she was deep in conversation or thought, but there was no one else in the room with her. He knocked gently on the door and watched as her attention was then directed to the door, her eyes meeting his. He slowly opened the door and walked in, never taking his eyes from hers.

"Hey Beautiful," he said quietly as he took the seat that Wind's Song had vacated not long ago.

Kim just stared at him, her eyes focusing on a spot just behind him, still looking for the Crane. _Where did you go?_

I'm still here, I just choose not to be seen by Windrider's holder at the moment.

Windrider? Kimberly thought.

She could hear the Crane laughing in her mind, _Yes, Windrider. The Falcon…_

Oh, Kimberly thought and tried to hide her own laughter.

Tommy cleared his throat, bringing Kim's attention back to him. "How are you feeling?" He asked from his seat across from Kim. He crossed his legs at the ankles and leaned back in the chair, forcing it back on its hind legs. His arms came up behind his head, billowed there.

"Sore," she answered, her voice a mere whisper. Her body still hurt terribly. Her lungs ached and a headache lingered in the dark recesses of her mind. It was a feeling she wouldn't wish on her worst enemy, any of them.

She glanced down at the bed coverings then looked up at Tommy, she wanted to tell him about the spirit animals and what they had started to tell her but she wasn't really certain if it was reality or the feverish dreams of her mind. She wasn't certain whether she actually believed it all herself yet.

__

Of coarse we are real, came Talon's voice. _You have many questions, maybe the Falcon's fledgling can shed some light on a few of them._

"Something's on your mind Beautiful, what is it?" Tommy asked.

"I've been having some weird dreams-" Kim began. _Weird really wouldn't begin to describe them! _She thought silently to herself.

__

Not dreams, she heard Wind's Song voice interrupt her.

Kim shook her head, trying to clear the Crane's voice from her mind. _It had to be a dream, my Power Ranger days are over with. None of us are Rangers any longer…this just can't be happening._

The Power still flows through you, through all of you. This time it was Talon's voice. _I know that it all seems too much to take in, and the reality of it seems distorted, but there is truth behind it. It was hard for you to accept your powers when you first received them, it was too overwhelming for you. I understand that this is too, the sheer awkwardness must be daunting to you, but you must believe us. We are as real as your love for the Falcon's fledgling. If you cannot believe in us, then all hope for the future may already be lost._

"What kind of dreams Kim?" Tommy asked as he saw her hesitate. _She couldn't possibly be reliving that accident, could she?_

"I don't know how to explain it…" Kim paused as the rest of the group walked in. She watched as they sat or stood in various areas. Trini sat at the windowpane, Jason resting against the wall near her. Billy and Aisha, sharing a chair, sat near where Tommy had sat down. Kim thought they looked pretty cozy and couldn't believe how far Billy had come. Tanya and Adam stood at the far wall, near to Trini and Jason. Kat stood besides Kim's bed, her hand resting gently against the ex-Pink Ranger's hospital bed. Rocky and Isabel stood near the door, almost like Isabel wanted the quickest escape route out of the room. As Kim studied the other woman, she suddenly realized that Isabel wore the look of a deer caught in a car's headlights. Kim shook that thought off as she looked around for Zack, he was the last one in and the door was just closing behind him.

"Explain what?" Trini asked as she made herself more comfortable on the windowsill. Her eyes darted from Kim to Tommy. "We didn't interrupt anything, did we? Or would you like some time alone?"

"Did Zordon ever tell any of you of a Legend?" Kim asked. She ignored Trini's question, knowing that the rest of the group deserved to hear about this too. But her eyes did seek out Isabel, not really certain whether or not the girl needed to hear about this. She had never been a Power Ranger after all, but the others trusted her.

"What kind of a Legend?" Billy asked.

Kim shook her head, unsure really of how to explain it. "I've been having some really weird dreams," she looked up at Tommy. "This is really going to sound crazy to you, it sounds pretty crazy to me."

"Just tell us," Trini encouraged.

Kim took a deep breath, "All right," she said. "I had a visit from the spirit animals."

"You what?" Aisha asked.

"I had a visit from the spirit animals. All of them…and then some." Kim answered.

"What do you mean, 'And then some'?" Aisha asked.

"I saw spirit animals none of us were aware of, ones we never knew existed."

"Huh?" Isabel asked, thoroughly confused by what was being said.

Kim ignored Iz's question and continued on, she needed to get this said before she lost her nerve. "The Falcon, Crane, Ape, Wolf, Frog and Bear were there, along with an Eagle, Rattlesnake, Mustang, Arabian, Lioness and Jaguar."

"A what, what, what, what, what and what?" Adam asked, thoroughly lost on the subject. _There were other spirit animals besides our six?_

You should think that you would have the only spirit animals? A voice suddenly questioned of him. Adam looked around frantically, but saw no one looking directly at him. _All who hold or held a power also is the holder of a spirit animal. You were not the original Black Ranger my Tadpole, so therefore there was another before you who also holds the spirit of an animal._

Kim drew in a deep breath, which drew Adam's attention back to her, "They said I had summoned them here, but I didn't, or if I did, I don't know how I did…it's all just so confusing!"

"Easy Kim, you can tell us later if you want to," Trini said as she jumped off of the windowpane, walked over to her friend and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"No," she said, "I need to tell you this now so we can find out if this Legend they were speaking of is true or not."

"Ok," Trini said, "Go on then."

"They spoke of an impending danger, something that could alter the future. Change it from the coarse it is suppose to take. A child is suppose to be born from the Ape and Eagle, a combination of their red and purple powers." Kim looked at them, a confused expression crossing her face. "There had never been a purple Ranger…the Eagle said that her powers had been lost long ago, but that one of our friends held them."

Isabel looked around at the rest, growing more confused by the moment. "I really don't think I should be here…this is something you need to discuss between yourselves." She felt like an outsider and just wanted to get out of there. She started for the door, but Tommy's voice stopped her.

"No, your suppose to be here." Tommy finally said after a heartbeat of silence.

"What?" Isabel asked as she turned to face him, now thoroughly confused.

"Don't any of you get it?" Tommy asked. His eyes sought out Billy's, figuring if any would get it, it would be Billy. 

Everyone shook their heads.

Tommy sighed, amused that it would be he that would understand what was going on. "The Eagle said that her powers had been lost long ago, but that one of our friends held them."

Everyone still wore blank expressions.

"Kim," he directed his attention to his girlfriend, "Did you see anything strange during that storm?" He indicated the storm that was just starting to fade in the distance.

Kim looked at him strangely for a few seconds, then it all came back to her. "Yes," she answered. Her gaze went to the window, "I saw a streak of pink lightning just before I fell asleep." She looked up at Tommy, "And there was writing on the window, pink writing, but I couldn't make out what it said. It looked like another language…or something."

Tommy just looked at her for a second, "I don't understand the writing, but remember," his gaze traveled around the room, meeting each of his friends eyes, and lastly coming to Isabel. "We each saw a streak of lightning in some form or another of our former Ranger color. Isabel saw a streak of purple."

All eyes glanced at Isabel, she moved closer to Rocky and felt his arms wrap comfortingly around her waist, drawing her closer to him.

Billy suddenly spoke up, "I think I understand what your saying." He paused and looked around at the rest of the group. "Somehow, Isabel holds the purple power."

Isabel backed further against Rocky, "But I thought you had to have a power coin or something." Isabel said shakily. "You had morphers or something that enabled you to use your powers…I have nothing of the like. How could I possible hold such a power?"

__

It is true, they heard a voice say from the windowpane, where Trini had been sitting.

All eyes turned to the spot and everyone gasped. There, was a purple Eagle.

"Talon!" Isabel gasped.

The Eagle looked at her, _Yes, _it said. _You know my name, but I am not the Talon you speak of. Your Talon is my child, sent to watch over you, keep you from harm. _The Eagle's purple eyes glanced quickly across the gathered group. _ Now my child's mission is over, it will now be up to the Ape's child to protect you. He will see you from harm._

"I…I don't understand," Isabel said softly, her hands seeking Rocky's against her waist.

You are not meant to understand, not yet at least. Just know that what the Falcon's fledgling has said is true. The Eagle paused and bobbed her head, her taloned toes clawing against the material of the windowpane. _We have waited eons for your birth, _her eyes surveyed the room, seeking out each of the former Rangers. _All of your births…we knew once you were born into this world the ancient legend would be near its completion. For good or for evil, the next few months will tell…_

Another voice interrupted the Eagle's, _Did not Zordon or any others tell you of the Legend? _The Falcon was back, perched majestically just behind Tommy. 

Tommy was out of his seat like lightning, staring at the Falcon speechlessly. "What the hell? Where did you come from?" He was looking around at the others, but they all wore the same confused look as he did.

The Falcon flapped his wings and settled his dark gaze on Tommy, _I have always been with you, you just chose not to hear me most of the time._

The same could be said for all of you, another voice purred from near Kat. 

Kat glanced down at her feet and saw the pink Jaguar lying there. It was her turn to jump and run, putting as much distance between her and the large jungle cat as the already to cramped room would permit. "What in the world is going on here?!" She exclaimed as she came to a rest next to Rocky and Isabel. She had a hand placed against her chest, her breathing sporadic.

The Jaguar glanced up at her, then rose to its feet and slowly made its way toward her. "Oh no, no, no," Kat said as she pressed her back up against the wall, "You just stay where your at."

The cat sat on its haunches and regarded her with its feline eyes. _I would not hurt you._

"That don't matter much, now does it? You're a wild animal and you shouldn't really be here." Kat said to it and she suddenly had a very strange feeling. _What in the hell am I doing talking to a Jaguar? I must be loosing it!_

Kim suddenly started laughing and everyone turned suddenly surprised eyes toward her. "And just what do you think is so funny?" Kat asked, reverting her eyes back to the large cat.

"It's just that I thought I was going crazy when they first came to me, I don't feel so bad now. At least you guys can see them too." Kim answered in between laughter. She held her left side from pain, but didn't stop laughing.

"I'm glad you think its funny," Kat grouched.

__

Enough! The Falcon said, his voice stern, which drew all eyes to him. _The rest of the spirit animals will not be showing themselves, we four will be enough to convey the message to you that you will need to know._

"And just what is that message?" Isabel asked.

__

Fate has dealt an unkind hand to you, Eagle chick. The Falcon said. _We know of the loss of your sister…and the other losses you have suffered._

Isabel gasped in disbelief, _Surely you will not reveal them!_

No, that is up to you when you feel the time is right, the Jaguar said from her position on the floor.

__

Unfortunately, the Eagle began, _mine is a duel power…or, at least in your case it was. Never before has a twin held a power, you were the first. It was unfortunate, the loss of your sister. My power was divided between the two of you, but yours was the greater, and it was because of this, that your sister was killed._

"Couldn't we both hold the power?" Isabel questioned, fearing that the reason her sister had died was because they couldn't share it.

__

You were destined to, each drawing on the other's strength and fortifying their weaknesses. Unfortunately, the evils of the future knew this and so they sent a warrior through the portals of time to kill you. They got the wrong twin…your sister died in your place. 

It was you the creature was after all those long years ago, not your twin sister Brenda. The Jaguar purred.

__

And so the creature lay in waiting, awaiting the perfect time to strike. That is why Talon was sent to you, to prevent your death too. The Eagle explained.

"But the creature attacked Talon," Kim interrupted.

__

Not the Talon I sent to Isabel. And it was not the same creature…the creature that attacked me was something different, something more horrible.

"I'm not following," Tommy said.

"In one of the meetings I had with the spirit animals, some big blob of something attacked Talon. The Ape went after the creature, but before he could get his…hands? Paws? Whatever you want to call them, on the creature, it disappeared." Kim began.

__

Then threatened to go after Isabel, the Crane interrupted. 

"Yes, then threatened to go after Isabel. Then Talon fainted."

__

I did not faint! Talon said indignantly.

"Yeah, you did." Kim said.

__

I do not faint!

"I am not arguing with you," Kim said. "But you did faint."

__

I most certainly did not!

Oh, that is enough! The Crane shouted. _You did so, so quit denying it!_

Talon just glared at Wind's Song. _Whatever._

"Now that that's over with," Tommy looked from the Crane to the Eagle, "Would you mind finishing explaining exactly what is going on here and why you're here now?"

__

All right, I've given up begging for your reviews, if you review, thank you. If not, oh well…just that much longer till the next chapter is put out. Which by the way, may be quite a while from now since I will be starting a new job as well as keeping my old one so my amount of free time will greatly diminish…so hopefully you have enjoyed this chapter. Catch you on the flip side!


	14. The Fox and the Dolphin

****

Author : Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : If I really have to do one of these, we have some serious issues going on here! I do not, I repeat, I do _not_ own the Power Rangers! Happy?

Summary : Um…I have no clue. Read and find out!

Warning : Um…again, no clue. I don't think there really should be one…except for maybe Rocky's angry tirade later in the chapter.

Genre : I guess it could be supernatural, mystery, romance, drama…etc, etc, you take your pick. LOL. Not much help here, am I?

Without any further interruptions, lets get on with the show…turn the lights down low…

Um…forget that…music gets stuck in my head, that has nothing to do with the story. Now, please continue on to the story…

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THE POWER RANGERS IN :

THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID 

PART 2

Chapter 14 : The Fox and the Hound…oops sorry, wrong story. The Fox and the Dolphin (actual title)

"Now how 'bout you tell us about this Legend?" Kat asked, never taking her eyes off of the Jaguar sitting no more than five feet from where she stood. "Does it have to do with just Rocky and Isabel, or are the rest of us included?"

"And just who said I was involved in this?" Rocky asked, removing his hands from around Isabel's waist and raising them in the air.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out Rocky. A child is suppose to be born from the Eagle and the Ape-" Kim began, only to have Rocky interrupt her.

"And just who said I was…the…Ape?" Rocky asked slowly, already knowing the answer to the question.

"Well duh!" Kim said, blowing her breath out on a sigh. "That don't take a rocket scientist either Rocko. And you most definitely are not the Eagle, that's for sure!"

"Who said I want to have a kid with him anyway?" Isabel spoke up, jerking her thumb back in Rocky's direction just behind her. "I couldn't imagine having a kid as conceited as you are," she said and elbowed him in the ribs to let him know she was just joking.

"It could do worse, it could have your mouth and never shut up!" Rocky said as he wrapped his arms around her and drew her up against himself, kissing the top of her head.

"Get a room you two," Aisha mock-complained.

Isabel turned her head to look at the dark skinned woman, "We weren't doing anything…" Isabel paused and Aisha opened her mouth to respond, but Isabel continued on, "Yet!" She said and smiled. Turning around in Rocky's arms so she was facing him, she placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him squarely on the lips. 

They didn't break apart for a couple of minutes, after which, Rocky said with a smile, "I could get use to this." Isabel pulled away with a smile and turned to face the rest of the group and literally smirked at Aisha.

The group broke out into laughter. Aisha just shook her head, "Like I said earlier, get a room!"

"Can we get on with this Legend?" Trini asked once all the laughter had died down.

"That would be Talon's area of expertise," the Falcon replied.

All eyes turned toward the Eagle, she beat her wings against the air as she spoke, a slight gusting of wind breathed across each of the Rangers faces. "The Eagle rides the thermal gateways to an unknown power, her courage comes from her love and her loss. She mates for life, but her first life-mate betrayed her and it is for this reason that she can't give her heart completely to the Ape."

Rocky looked down at Isabel, her head was resting against his chest, her arms wrapped around his back. She had turned around in his arms once more, but she appeared not to be listening to what the Eagle was saying, like her thoughts were a million miles away. He knew she was though because her breathing had become slow, almost like she was sleeping. She was waiting for the Eagle to continue.

He ran a hand through her blond hair, wondering who the guy was who had betrayed her before. _What had happened? _ He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and drew her closer, vowing that once he found out what had happened it would never happen again. If only he knew how far from the truth that would be.

"Beautiful in all her majestic splendor," the Eagle was saying.

Rocky felt Isabel's voice vibrate against his chest, "She must be talking about herself," she whispered.

"What makes you say that?" He whispered back.

"Majestic splendor? That really just doesn't describe me."

"I think you're beautiful," Rocky said softly into her hair.

She just smiled up at him then rested her head against his chest again.

"If you two are done, we're trying to hear this," Aisha said, her hands planted on her hips, but a smile on her face.

"Done," Isabel murmured.

"Anyway," the Eagle said, "She comes from a foreign land, carries with her dark secrets, not known to the rest of the spirit animal holders and friends. Her dark secrets could destroy her relationship with the Ape, or could bring them closer together."

"Dark secrets?" Jason asked. "What sort of dark secrets?" He met Trini's gaze and read his own thoughts reflected in her onyx like gaze. _Rita, Zedd…Goldar…surely she didn't have something to do with their past enemies._

Be not so sure of one's past, his spirit animal's voice echoed in his head.

"I'm not done," the Eagle reprimanded. "And besides, when she is ready, it will be up to her to reveal that which she wishes you to know."

"Sorry," Jason replied softly, wondering what it was that his spirit animal had meant. _Sure she didn't have something to do with them…was she a pawn of theirs like Kat had once been? Or Tommy? _Jason's eyes sought out Kat and Tommy, but they were paying attention to the Eagle.

"The Ape, and we are definitely not talking about Brutus here," the Eagle said as she turned her eagle-eyed gaze toward Rocky. He just met her purple stare, but his arms tightened around Isabel. The Eagle bobbed her head in approval, as if he had passed some unknown test. "The Ape," she began again, "Life unfolds around him, but tragedy lies in waiting, only once he looks past the past hardships and rises above that which would pull him asunder, will he and his beautiful Eagle find the happiness that awaits them and that they so much deserve.

"Life will be cruel and take one blessing from him, but from the heartache will arise a new beginning, if only he will embrace it." The Eagle paused and looked around at the group, "That is all I am permitted to tell you for now, the rest will be known when the time is right."

"What does it all mean?" Kim asked from her hospital bed.

"You will find out in time," the Eagle replied.

"What part do the rest of us play in all of this?" Tommy asked. "What you told us only involved Rocky and Isabel. How do we fit in all of this?"

The Eagle sighed and turned her bright purple eyes to the Falcon. "Am I permitted?" She asked the winged lord.

The Falcon nodded his head.

"The son of the Falcon and the Crane shall become guardian of the Eagle hatchling, and from them shall arise a great power. When all seems but lost, it will be from these two that all hope shall arise-"

"Wait just a minute here!" Kim exclaimed.

All eyes turned toward her. Kim smiled a bit sheepishly, "You mean that Tommy and I are gong to have a son?"

"Is that not what I just said?" The Eagle inquired.

"Just checking," Kim answered. "Pretty nice to know what you're going to have a head of time."

Tommy just looked at her, she smiled at him then returned her attention to the Eagle. 

"In time, we know not how long, evil will arise once more and try to destroy that which must be. If they succeed, the future we know, the future that is to be, will be no longer. The future will be altered and evil will win. Without the combined powers of the Crane child and the Eagle child, all will be lost."

"The Crane child and Eagle child? Now I'm confused," Rocky said, looking strangely at the Eagle.

The Eagle bobbed her head, "I'm sorry, I have not explained things well. The Child of the Crane will be your and Isabel's daughter, the Child of the Crane is the son of the Falcon and the Crane, Tommy and Kimberly. The child is always referred to by the mother's spirit animal-"

"Well that's a bit sexist, don't ya think?" Zack piped up.

The Eagle stared at him, "If you carried the child for nine months then bore it, it would be known by the father's spirit animal then. Since you don't, it is known by the mother's spirit animal."

"Won't they get their own spirit animals?"

"They already do," the Falcon answered. The Eagle stared at him, surprised that that bit of information had been revealed.

Isabel saw the look on the Eagle's face, "Were we not suppose to know this?" She asked.

"If the Lord of the Skies sees fit for you to have this knowledge I am not one to question him," the Eagle answered.

"What are they?" Kat asked.

"What are what?" Talon asked.

"The children's spirit animals," Kat answered.

The Eagle looked again to the Falcon for permission to reveal something more she felt they didn't' need to know at the present time. The Falcon bobbed his head once more. "The son of the Falcon and the Crane will be the holder of the crimson Fox, the child of the Ape and the Eagle shall be the holder of the amethyst dolphin."

"They get their own colors?" Kat asked.

"And their own powers," the Falcon answered.

Everyone turned surprised eyes toward the majestic bird. "The powers you held will not be enough to defeat the evil that will arrive in their time," the Falcon explained. "Your world has never seen anything of its like. Entire worlds and galaxies have fallen beneath their evil, entire solar systems wiped out on mere whims. Your old powers would not be enough to defeat that which is coming."

"Are you talking about the evil that's coming here after us or the one in their time?" Trini asked.

"The evil that will be coming to alter _your_ timeline you will be able to battle, the one that will come in _their_ time you would not. It would crush you." The Falcon answered.

"Just exactly what is this evil?" Tommy asked. "Will we still be alive?"

"Yes you will," the Falcon answered, but there was a hesitancy to his voice. "As for the evil, we know not at the moment."

"But I thought you knew everything about what is going to happen?"

"Not everything," the Eagle answered before the Falcon could even try. "There are some things that even we do not know, and the type of evil your children will face is one of them." Her eyes were glistening with tears, but they did not fall. She knew something she was not telling.

Isabel saw it though, "What are you not telling us?"

"Some of you will not live that long, will not live long enough to watch as your children except the power that will be theirs one day." the Eagle answered.

"Who?" Rocky asked.

"I can not answer that," the Eagle said, but her eyes sought out three of the Rangers. Rocky watched as the purple hued eyes of the Eagle glanced from one woman to the next. Aisha, next to Kat, then lastly to Isabel.

"What's going to happen?" Rocky fairly growled, his arms tightening around Isabel even more. He noticed that Billy took Aisha's hand and squeezed it then pull her into his arms. Kat was hugging herself, the fear apparent in her eyes. They had all seen the look the Eagle had given them.

The Eagle sighed, "Please, ask me no more. I can not answer your questions."

Rocky let go of Isabel and advanced toward the Eagle, "You've already told us stuff that we weren't suppose to know yet, what would it hurt to reveal a few more things?"

"If I were to tell you that Isabel would die in childbirth, what would happen? You would never have the child you are meant to have, then the whole future would be disrupted. That must not happen at all costs! I cannot tell you that which will happen! I can not tell you the downfall of those three."

Rocky took a step back, his face suddenly ashen colored. "What are you saying?" he asked. "Are they going to die?" He looked back at Isabel, "Will she die because of this child we're suppose to have?"

"I did not say that," the Eagle answered. "But if that was what were to happen, would you still have the child?"

Rocky looked at the Eagle, then glanced back at Isabel, he could see the tears in her eyes. He shook his head, not knowing how to answer the question. _Would I change the future just to keep her with me? Would I sacrifice the life of one child, or possibly a thousand people I don't even know, just to protect her from death? Would I do this just to protect the one I love more than life itself? _Rocky paused in his thoughts, _When had it become love?_

"I…I…don't know," Rocky finally answered. He looked back at the Eagle, "I would do anything to protect her…"

"Even change the coarse of the future?" Talon asked. "Would you forsake the child that _must_ come from your union?"

Rocky looked down at the floor, not sure how to answer the question.

"And what of Aisha or Kat?" Talon asked as she glanced at Aisha and Billy then over at Kat.

"Will they die?" Billy asked. "Are Aisha, Kat and Isabel going to die in the future?"

The Eagle hung her head.

"That's all the answer we need," Tommy said as he looked at everyone. "The one thing I want to know is how." He demanded.

The Falcon glanced at him, his fathomless black eyes echoing an age-old sadness. "We can not say."

"Can not or will not?" Tommy snarled, his eyes turning almost black with anger. "You came here to help us but you won't tell us what will happen to them!"

Isabel stepped forward and placed a calming hand on Rocky's arm, "If I am to die giving birth to our child Rocky, I can accept that," she said to him quietly.

He turned on her, his expression one of anger, "You maybe able to, but I can't!" He growled, his voice low and deadly. He whirled around to look at the Eagle, his breath coming in short, fast bursts, "How is she going to die? Tell me damn it!"

"I can not," the Eagle said softly.

Rocky growled in anger, turned around and left the room, the door slamming shut behind him. "Rocky," Isabel said softly and moved to follow him.

"Let him be," the Falcon commanded.

Isabel turned to look at the bird, "Let him be? How can you ask me to do that?" She asked angrily. "You come here with all intentions of helping us, but you cause more trouble than you do good!"

"His anger in the end will be your downfall," the Falcon said quietly.

"His anger is going to kill me?" Isabel asked in disbelief.

The Falcon shook its head, "His anger will lead to your death."

"What do you mean?" Kim asked, it was the question on all of their minds.

The Crane sighed, "I will try to explain this as best as I can," all eyes turned toward her. "Life will be cruel, and take one blessing from him, but from the heartache will arise a new beginning, if only he will embrace it," the Crane quoted what the Eagle had said earlier. "Something will happen to break you apart, something devastating, and in a time of need, when you will need him the most, he may not be there for you, due to his anger. If he cannot overcome what has occurred and listen to his heart, he will loose you…forever. If he can see past the lies and mistruths that are before him, all will be well…if not, it will be your end." The Crane gazed around the group, "It will be the end of all of you."

The Eagle bobbed her head, her eyes closed as if she were in deep meditation, "Beautiful and guileless, she's agile in her element, a dancer on the winds." They could hear the Crane, Falcon and Jaguar pleading with the Eagle to be quiet, but she appeared not to hear them. "Courageous at heart, the heart of the team, always one to rise to the occasion and never back down. May not be the stealthiest of fighters, or the bravest, she makes up for it with her heart.

"Soulmate to the Falcon, she'll leave him in a time of tragedy, just to protect him from the inevitable. In the end, one half of the soul will seek out the other half in order to complete themselves…from them will come the child of the fox."

With that, the Eagle collapsed, the Jaguar just barely managing to catch the large bird between her powerful jaws. 

"Wh-what was that all about?" Kim asked shakily, looking down at the sleeping bird.

"Something you were not meant to know yet," the Falcon answered.

The Jaguar looked up at the assembled group, her voice came out like a purr, "If she dies, it will not be long after that that you two will follow her. Your fates are all connected, woven together." She looked down at the still form of the Eagle, "What fate befalls one of you will in time befall the other two…death for you will be inevitable."

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This story is becoming increasingly more difficult. Ok, the usual applies here…REVIEW!!!! Can I make it any more obvious? Review, Review, Review…am I getting on your nerves yet? Ok, well, this story is trying for all it's worth to screw with my brain, and unfortunately it's working! How will Isabel die? Better yet, will she actually die or am I messing with both your and my mind? What about Aisha and Kat? How are their destinies interwoven together with Isabel's? Will Kim and Tommy's and Isabel and Rocky's kids actually get together in the future…well, um, that's an entirely different story there!

Now for the shout outs!

Krazymelmo5385 : glad you like! Keep up the reviewing and I'll continue.

Aurora Force 1 : Hey little sis! If you're immature for 17 what am I at 24? LOL. I want to see your story up by the end of the week, quit keeping me in suspense! As for Iz, I love her too, why do ya think I'm so hard on her? Not to mention Kim!

Shorlixa Dragoness-Spirit : glad to have you back! I write mystery? Wow. LOL Glad this was the first you read after making it back! Here's the next chapter, I'll be waiting for your review! LOL

Baseballmomok : In between you and Hartfelt telling me to step on it, here it is! Hope you like.

Rocky : you know what, I really envy you of the penname! As for the friendly rivalries, my story would be nothing without those quirky animals! Just got to love 'em! Hope you're still reading.

Nicole : I hope this chapter is just as good as the previous ones! Thanks for the review, I always look forward to them.

Avalon Shikaro : hope you liked it!

MarsMoonStar : I want to know where some of you come up with your pennames! Thanks for the review.

Zee : I always look forward to your reviews! Hope this was a good enough chapter.

Gaberial's Angel : _you could bug me all you want about upcoming chapters, I wouldn't mind. Glad you liked the last chapter and I hope this one kept you captivated too!_

Achlys : Like I said before, my story would be nothing without those spirit animals, glad I'm not the only one who likes them! Make sure you review! Not that it's been a problem for you in the past, but just got to make sure I remind people, LOL.

Hartfelt : this should make you happy, so you had better get your next chapter up soon! I know, what you asked for wasn't in this chapter, but it will be in the next one, just wait. And you know what, or whom, I'm talking about! :-P

Amara : I had fun writing the part with Tommy jumping thanks to his spirit animal, I almost had a problem writing it 'cause I couldn't stop laughing! Hope you liked this chapter, even though it is a bit sad.

ScarletDeva : I'm going to continue threatening you till you really do buckle down and start reviewing every single one of these chapters…plus I'm going to start bugging you if you don't update PSOF like yesterday! Kim dense? Wow…did I do that? LOL, gotta have some fun with the characters once in while! Now hurry up and get that next chapter up!

Sorry for my idiocy in the beginning…I was feeling quite foolish, straight whiskey will do that to you. And NO, I am not an alcoholic, I just like writing some of the chapters half toasted…did that make any sense? I didn't think so…*shakes head at self*

Well, that's all for now, thanks to everyone who reviewed, and to those of you who read and didn't review…I'll get you next time! I don't know how, but I will…In the infamous words of one of my favorite characters…

Catch you on the flip side!


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